Another Level
by SophieWofy
Summary: Set one month or so after Exit Wounds. Jack needs to rebuild his team. Meanwhile alien involvement is suspected in deflated tyres. Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys. I don't own Torchwood but I own all OCs, including Dante and Caitlyn. R/R is love. Finished.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: This is my first fanfic so I know it's not perfect, but any constructive criticism would be greatly welcomed. Enjoy._

_Discloser: I do not own Torchwood but if anyone wants to buy it from RTD and give it to me as a birthday present, I'd be very happy. _

Chapter 1

Love is an unbreakable bond between two people. At least, that's what Gwen Cooper had been led to believe, until now. Love exists in many forms: family, the type Gwen had with her parents; romantic, the type she had with her husband Rhys, and friendship, the type she had with her old classmates. But for Gwen, another kind of love existed. It was difficult to understand, and even more difficult to explain. There were four people she had ever felt this type of love for: her four colleagues at Torchwood Three, in Cardiff. However, four was now two, after the death of Toshiko and Owen. Gwen had initially refused to carry on. She was unable to imagine working with Jack and Ianto, as the only female, although she felt both her surviving colleagues were women at heart, anyway. Ianto, with his coffee that was able to brighten up even the darkest of mornings. And Jack. There was no easy way of describing Jack. He was simply Jack. No words could explain who, or what, he was. It was Jack's brother, Gray, that had put Gwen into the situation she was in now. She didn't hold Jack responsible, however. She blamed herself, her nosy nature that had brought Torchwood to her attention, and ultimately, into her life. There was no escape now, she reminded herself as she rolled out of the double bed. No escape except death.

TWTWTW

Tunde Devyn hated Monday mornings. Parents on the school run cluttering up the narrow roads, irate businessmen honking their horns, as if nobody else was aware of their plight. Tunde himself knew of the anger that being stuck in traffic brings to a person. It was his job, as the senior police officer in the transport department, to try and stop it. More recently, someone had been letting down car tyres. It wasn't a simple open-the-hole-and-let-it-all-out attack, nor was it a major puncture. Each time, the air was gone, but there was no obvious trace. It was a mystery that had puzzled Tunde, and his team, for weeks.

Tunde rose slowly from his desk and headed away from the computer, and towards the water machine. As he crouched for the plastic cup, he felt something wet on his head. Staring up, he saw a suited and booted young man deliberately spilling water, one drop at a time, onto Tunde's head.

"You could have said hello," Tunde grumbled.

"That's not my way," the man responded in an American drawl.

"I can see that," Tunde muttered.

"Captain Jack Harkness," the man held out a hand. "I believe you're Inspector Tunde Devyn?"

Tunde grumbled. The man certainly had a cheek. "It's Devyn, as in mine, not Devyn as in sing," he told Jack monotonously. The amount of times Tunde had corrected the pronunciation of his surname had forced him to consider recording his usual response onto a voice recorder and play it back whenever he needed to. The annoying journalist – Tunde assumed that was who he was – joined a long list of people who frustrated Tunde with their lack of knowledge about foreign words.

"Inspector Devyn, what do you know about the tyre attacks?"

"Who are you working for, Mr Harkness?" Tunde sighed. "We've told the press all we know. Now if you'd kindly leave, I've work to be getting on with." The man was laughing. Tunde tried to remain patient. "Mr Harkness, please leave before I force you out."

"It's Captain Harkness, and I'm Torchwood." Jack showed his identity card to Tunde, who was astonished. "I need copies of all your data, now. Normally we'd hack your security system, but we've recently been unable to do that."

"Follow me." Tunde lead Jack into his office and closed the door. He opened a folder on the computer and pointed. "Here's all we've got."

"Send it all in an email." Jack demanded. Tunde obeyed. Attaching the files took a few minutes, which passed in silence. Eventually Jack leant across and typed in an email address. "Don't send anything else on this email, it's a hotmail account I set up specifically for today. Once I'm back at the Hub, and with these files, I won't use it again. Anything you send will be lost. But if you have any more information come in, ring me." Jack scribbled a number on the top of a pile of pink post-it notes sitting on Tunde's desk, and walked out without bothering to shut the door.

TWTWTW

Ianto Jones leant against the computer screen, mug in hand. Sipping from it, he stared at the clutter around him. Owen Harper's old work area still hadn't been fully sorted. The job of organising the paper and other various possessions fell, as usual, to Ianto. The jobs nobody else wanted always fell to him. Most of the time, he didn't care. It was different to Torchwood One, back in London, but Ianto enjoyed the intimate environment. It made him feel part of the team.

"Is there really any point in this?" Ianto's voice echoed back to him. "Jack's never going to replace Tosh and Owen. This desk will remain empty forever. Why am I bothering to sort it?"

"Because Jack will find new members," Jack's voice replied. "He just hasn't found them yet."

Ianto looked up to see Jack's dominating stature blocking the main doorway. "I didn't hear you come in."

"You were too busy talking to yourself," Jack cut back. "Now, make yourself useful. Gwen's not in yet, so I need you to check on the rift activity."

"How-" Ianto began.

"Computer." Jack pointed to where Toshiko used to work. "I've got other stuff to sort out."

"Time for a bit of fun later?" Ianto asked, winking as he set his coffee down and headed across the Hub.

Jack scowled. "Not likely. I'm not running out to fight weevils in the nude for anyone." He pushed open the door to the room most often used for the team meetings, and sat down. Head in hands, he stared at the empty chairs that surrounded the table. An unusual silence filled the room as Jack wept. He rarely showed emotion: even when Suzie Costello had died, Jack hadn't cried. He could imagine Toshiko and Owen being in the room, bickering like an old married couple. He missed them, not that he wanted to admit it. Jack didn't admit anything he didn't have to.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cardiff's hospital isn't the best place to be working when you have a hangover. Doctor Caitlyn Burns knew that the minute she walked into the tall building, and three hours later, she was desperate for some more paracetamol.  
"What've we got?" Caitlyn asked the young lad on the desk, who was working as a receptionist during his gap year.

"Joseph Thomas, 24, stomach pains," Dante Devyn told her without looking up from the screen. Caitlyn took the notes from him and walked across to the waiting area. She doubted Dante actually did much work in the hospital: he was permanently glued to the computer.

"Joseph Thomas?" Caitlyn asked. A young man rose, and followed Caitlyn into a cubicle. "What happened?"

"Tyres collapsed," Joseph sighed as he reclined on the bed. "I was coming down the M4 yesterday and my tyres suddenly went. Deflated. Just like that. Luckily nobody else hit me, but the car stopped with a jolt, I can tell you. Had to call the breakdown, who said it was most peculiar, but had been happening a lot recently. Air vanishing, just like that. No apparent holes or punctures."

"How does that affect your chest?" Caitlyn asked, agitated.

"Oh," Joseph said, scratching his nose. "Well, going from 60 to zero in a couple of seconds hurts, even in a seatbelt. I got home and thought I'd be fine, but woke up in total agony this morning. Got to be the car crash, hasn't it?"

"I suppose so," Caitlyn sighed. "Let me run a few tests, see if we can get down to what the problem is."

"I know what the problem is," Joseph told her. "My chest hurts. The car problems last night caused it. What more do you want? Torchwood?" He laughed. "Special ops to sort out my chest pains. Imagine that, eh?"

"What do you know about Torchwood?" Caitlyn asked as she pressed her stethoscope against the young man's chest. "Lean forward, please."

"Oh, not much," Joseph shrugged. "Only that thing last month, when those weird things came out of the sewers, that was all to do with them, apparently. Special ops tried to ruin our city. Surprised the public haven't run them out of town yet. I guess nobody knows where they are to track them. If they did, Torchwood would be no longer."

"How did you find that out?" Caitlyn was confused. "Torchwood wouldn't have admitted it, would they?"

Joseph laughed. "I work for the press. We got an anonymous tip-off. The boss didn't want us to run the story as it was too risky and not credible enough. Look, don't believe me, but it's true. I think it is, anyway. Cardiff's destruction was down to Torchwood."

TWTWTW

Bracing herself, Gwen stepped onto the paving slab that took her down to the Hub. She dreaded going to work; the memory of seeing one of her close friends and colleagues die still lingered in her head like a bad smell. Toshiko's death plagued her dreams too. They were more like nightmares, really. The helplessness Gwen had felt at being unable to save her friend refused to leave her. As she stepped off the platform into the main body of the Hub, a pterodactyl's cry welcomed her.

"Hello," she called out in her broad Welsh accent. "Anybody in?"

"Hi, Gwen," Ianto turned from the computer screen. There were four screens, to be truthful, arranged in a sort of square. "Any chance of a bit of help here?"

"What're you doing?" Gwen walked over, running a hand through her brown hair.

"Checking on the rift activity, but there's a glitch in the system."

"What do you mean, a glitch? As in, Ianto can't use a computer properly and has deleted something he shouldn't have?" Gwen joked.

Ianto shook his head. "It wasn't me. We've either got a bug, or we've been hacked."

"But that's impossible!" Gwen gasped. "Nobody can hack into Torchwood; we've got ultimate protection from that security programme Tosh made."

"That's what I thought," Ianto sighed as he tapped away at the keyboard. "If only she was here to fix it."

Even just the mention of their former colleague's name brought a poignant silence into the room. Gwen stared at one of the screens. "Just maybe," she wondered aloud. "Just maybe, there's a way."

"Of what?" It was Ianto's turn to ask the questions.

"If we can check who's hacking the system, we can recruit them." Gwen was grinning with excitement. "We need a new technical team member; you know how poor my knowledge is in comparison to what Tosh's was. We need a new doctor, too, but I did biology and chemistry in sixth form, so we can get by for a little longer. We just need to track the hacker."

"That's all very well in theory," Ianto frowned, "but how are we meant to put it into practice?"

TWTWTW

Dante was pleased with himself. Whatever Torchwood was, he was about to discover their secrets. He'd managed to breach their security after hours of hard work, and not much else. The computers in the hospital allowed Dante to alternate between stations in order to minimise the likeliness of detection. Hacking into the local schools systems was easy, and even the police network put up only a small challenge. Torchwood was more interesting. Dante knew how to hack systems. He'd learnt how to bruteforce his way into other people's accounts at the age of eleven, just after he started secondary school. He'd changed his test marks on a number of occasions, to avoid getting grounded by his father. As he'd got older, Dante had set himself more and more challenging targets, until recently, after a night out with some friends, he had been set a challenge: hack into Torchwood and find out what exactly their purpose was. Nobody had believed it was possible; Torchwood was just about as top secret as they came. Smirking, he allowed himself to sip on his cold cup of coffee before turning back to the computer screen. He was desperate to know what was inside the system.

"Dante!" Caitlyn stirred him out of his daydream.

"What's wrong?" Dante asked. "I'm kind of busy here."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "I can see. Look, I need you to check something for me."

"Whatever," Dante shrugged. "Which patient is it?"

"It's not a patient as such," Caitlyn explained as she leant on the desk. "It's more of something a patient said."

"Which was?" Dante prompted.

Caitlyn glanced around, and lowered her voice. "Torchwood."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Gwen wasn't an expert at computers, but her knowledge had increased dramatically since joining Torchwood. Compared to Toshiko's abilities, however, she was about as capable of being Torchwood's technical whiz as a newborn baby is of driving. Trying to trace the hacker's identity, then, was no easy task for her.

"IP address is likely to be a proxy," Ianto pointed out when Gwen found the number identification. Running the set of digits through Torchwood's checker proved him correct.

"How on Earth are we going to manage it?" Gwen was becoming increasingly frustrated with the task.

"Maybe that's it," Ianto stood up from his chair. "Gwen, you're a genius!"

"I am?" Gwen asked, confused.

"Of course. We're looking at hackers from Earth. What if it's an alien?"

"Impossible." Jack stepped out from the meeting room into the conversation. "It's got to be on this planet, at any rate."

"Are you sure, boss?" Ianto remained unconvinced.

"Of course I'm sure," Jack growled. "Look, I've got all the police data on the tyre incidents. That's definitely alien. The police know we're on the case, too. That Inspector Devyn, or whatever his name was, sent me all their stuff. Of course, it would be easier if we could retrieve all their files without them knowing, but-"

"That's why we need to recruit," Gwen jumped in. "I don't want you to think I want to replace Tosh and Owen; they're irreplaceable. It's just; we can't cope with just the three of us. Tosh and Owen were the specialists in the stuff that mattered. We can't function without a technician and a doctor for much longer. All the alien stuff will get on top of us, and then what?"

Jack sighed, and cracked his knuckles. "Do you know how hard it is recruiting?" he asked.

Gwen shook her head. "Guessing I'm about to find out, though."

"Torchwood needs people that will be dedicated for the rest of their lives," Jack sat on the edge of the desk. "People who know what they're doing, and at the same time can keep what we do a secret. It's difficult finding skilled people who fit the criteria. Most have families, and that's difficult when you need to be on-call 24/7."

"Rhys gets annoyed at times, and there's just the two of us," Gwen nodded. "Imagine what it would be like with kids."

"Exactly my point," Jack smiled. "Young people are the best, as they have fewer ties, but most lack the skills we need."

"Better hope our hacker is young then," Ianto frowned. "Otherwise we're back at the beginning."

TWTWTW

Sitting at the computer, Dante scratched the back of his head. "It'll cost you," he frowned.

"Whatever," Caitlyn dug a £5 note out of her trouser pocket and thrust it at the teenager. "Happy?"

"Make it ten and you've got a deal," Dante smiled.

Caitlyn scowled. "Fine, whatever." She produced another note of identical value. "You'll get this once you've shown me what I need to know, alright?"

"Alright." Dante slid his chair across the floor slightly to allow Caitlyn to move closer. As she bent towards the screen, her jaw dropped.

"It's as if you're in their network!" She turned to Dante, impressed. "Right, what can we find out about what they do? Is there a profile page, or something?"

"It's their network, not their website," Dante scowled. "It's like there being a part of the hospital network where it details what the hospital does. Ever found it? No, because it's non-existent. Same as Torchwood's. We're going to have to look harder."

Caitlyn felt her face heat up. "Look, you're the computer genius," she sighed. "How do we find out what they do?"

"Give me time, yeah?" Dante growled. He moved the mouse across the screen, and clicked on a file named 'brief'. As he did so, his screen blacked out. Confused, Dante turned to Caitlyn. "I think the network's down."

"The other computers in here work," Caitlyn shrugged, gesturing to the screen behind her. "Maybe you released a virus?"

"I seriously hope not," Dante's palms began to sweat. "If I've messed up Torchwood's system, and they track me, I'm so dead."

"It won't be as bad as that," Caitlyn placed a hand on the young lad's shoulder.

Dante nodded. "I hope so."

TWTWTW

"What's that?" Ianto pointed at the top left screen, where a red light was flashing on a map of Cardiff.

Gwen squinted closer. "It's Tosh's security alert," she grinned. Ianto's puzzled look forced her to explain. "Tosh put in a file that when it was clicked on, it released a virus and the computer that was infected flashed up on our system, bypassing IP addresses and all that. I'd completely forgotten about it until now. She told me, soon after I joined, never to click the file named 'brief'. Looks like our hacker has fell into the trap. I could kiss Tosh right now."

"If you want to go dig her up," Ianto snorted, "don't let me stop you."

Gwen whacked his arm. "Ianto Jones, sometimes I fail to understand yours sense of humour."

"Is that all?" Ianto replied. "Wow. Most women don't understand a lot more."

"Like why you're rubbish in bed," Jack shot.

Ianto scowled. "You're one to talk."

Jack walked across the Hub and kissed Ianto on the forehead. "I'll be free later," he winked.

"Cut it out, boys," Gwen laughed, turning back to the screen. "Look, we need to get back on task." She began to zoom in closer to the red dot.

"Looks like it's the hospital," Jack pointed out. As Gwen zoomed in further, a specific computer was pinpointed.

"The receptionist, I believe. Logged on as DevynD."

"Devyn?" Jack echoed. "That was that annoying Inspector's name."

"Probably a relative," Ianto guessed.

Jack shrugged. "We'll soon find out. Come on, grab your coats. We're paying DevynD a visit."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Mr Devyn?" An American voice asked. Dante looked up from his desk. A man in a long 1940s style coat stood, flanked by a younger, suited man and a woman dressed in a leather jacket and jeans. They made a pretty odd group, but Dante knew it wasn't his place to question them.

"That's me," he replied. "What do you want?"

The American held up an identity card. "Captain Jack Harkness," he smiled. "Torchwood. You're the person that hacked into our security system. I want a word with you. Outside, now."

"I'm sorry," Dante's voice had a noticeable quiver. "I won't do anything like it again, Mr Harkness, I promise."

"It's Captain Harkness, and that's not what I want to hear. Outside." Jack glared at Dante, and the young man felt obliged to obey. Reaching for his coat, Dante prayed the trio wouldn't hurt him.

"Cover me for a moment," Dante told a young nurse nearby as he followed the Torchwood members across the hospital. The nurse nodded and headed behind the desk. Unfortunately for Dante, this initial ability to leave the hospital unquestioned was hindered by the appearance of Caitlyn. Dante cursed the doctor's interfering nature.

"Where are you going?" she asked, making her way across the waiting room.

"Outside, for a chat," Jack didn't allow the young receptionist time to respond. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Why don't you have it in here?" Caitlyn frowned. "Dante's still in the middle of his shift."

"Torchwood doesn't do things by the book," Jack shrugged. "Now, if you'll get out of our way-"

"I can see that," Caitlyn told him, refusing to move. His words suddenly clicked in Caitlyn's brain, and she gasped. "You're Torchwood?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?" Caitlyn was increasingly annoying Jack. "Look, I don't know who you are, or what your involvement is in any of this, but I suggest you walk away now and forget this whole conversation before I'm forced to retcon you."

"Can't do that," Caitlyn pouted. "You're trying to take my friend. I'm not going to let you." To prove her point, she grabbed Dante's arm and attempted to pull him away from the group.

"Let go of Dante, and he'll be fine. We're not going to hurt him, but you will, if you keep pulling. Just let go of his arm." There was something soothing about the female Torchwood member's voice, and Caitlyn found herself obeying. After watching Dante leave with the trio of operatives, she crumpled into a chair in the waiting room and sobbed.

TWTWTW

"In the car," Jack commanded, opening the door to Torchwood's black SUV.

"What? I thought you only wanted to talk to me." Dante was confused. "That was why we came outside, wasn't it? So we could have a conversation without people like Caitlyn interrupting all the time."

Jack laughed. "You're so naïve," he told Dante. "What would you say if I told you all three of us here are carrying guns, and could kill you right now if we wanted?"

"You wouldn't," Dante gasped. He looked at the three faces staring at him. None of them seemed to show any signs of the American's comment being a joke. Gulping, Dante climbed into the car.

"That's more like it," Jack smiled, sitting down in the driver's seat. The two other members of Torchwood – the woman, and the man who had so far not spoken a single word – sat either side of Dante in the back of the vehicle. Dante supposed this was to stop him form attempting to escape, but didn't comment on the peculiar seating arrangement.

"Have you really got a gun?" Dante turned to the young man in a suit. He nodded, and produced it from his pocket as if to demonstrate the truth.

"Jack's is bigger though."

"Oh, thanks for that, Ianto," Jack's smile reflected in the rear view mirror. "Yours isn't the smallest I've seen, but it's no comparison to the ones in the forty-fifth century. They have huge ones."

"Save the flirting for later, boys," Gwen saved Dante's embarrassment by changing the conversation topic. "You don't want to give Dante the wrong impression."

"I can give any impression you want," Jack winked.

"I don't think that's very appropriate, sir," Ianto reminded him.

"You weren't saying that last night," Jack laughed. Ianto blushed and began to look out of the car window.

"Might as well do a bit of research while we're out," he told Gwen. "Flat tyres and all that."

"Flat tyres?" Dante repeated, a hint of scorn in his voice. "You investigate flat tyres?"

"Not normally," Gwen explained, "but we think there may be alien involvement at the moment."

"Aliens? As in, ET and all that stuff?"

"ET?" Jack repeated, stifling a laugh. "We're not some movie company, you know. This is all real. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it's all real. Except for those illusion-making creatures that fell through the Rift in 1996. Now, they were difficult to catch. You never knew what was real and what was an illusion with them."

"How long have you been working for Torchwood?" Dante asked, intrigued.

Jack shrugged. "So long, I've lost count. Hundred and ten years, maybe more. I stopped counting after the Titanic sunk. Down to a stowaway Weevil, that was. It started eating the crew, and the captain tried to fend it off, lost control and the boat crashed into an iceberg. I don't care what the movie says, but that's the truth." Dante wasn't sure what to believe, and nodded dumbly. The SUV jolted to a halt, and Jack swung the door open. "Out you get," he smiled brightly.

"We're in Cardiff Bay," Dante observed. Jack clapped his hands in a slow, patronising manner. Gwen's glare told Jack that he'd overstepped the mark. Folding his arms, Jack watched Dante look around for any sign of Torchwood's base, the Hub.

"What are we doing here?" Dante eventually asked.

"I knew you'd say that," Jack laughed. "They all do. They can't work out how we get into the Hub. Let me show you." He walked across to what appeared to be a shabby-looking tourist information centre and pushed the door open. Gwen and Ianto followed him, but Dante stood on the pavement, a confused expression plastered onto his face.

"Come on," Gwen turned back and held out a hand. Dante walked towards her slowly. He was still unsure about the whole situation, but there was something about Gwen he trusted. Taking small steps, he entered the tourist information office. Another door was open, which the two other men had already walked through. Gwen escorted Dante through a series of corridors and doors, until they ended up in a huge room.

"Wow," was all Dante could manage.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Torchwood," Caitlyn announced as she closed the cubicle curtain.

"What about them?" Joseph asked, confused.

"I want to know all you know about them." Caitlyn pulled a chair over and sat down.

"Why the sudden interest?" Joseph was suspicious of the doctor's motives.

"They took my friend," Caitlyn replied, choking back tears.

"Oh my gosh," Joseph gasped. "It is true what they say about Torchwood, then."

"What?" Caitlyn prompted, leaning in closer.

"There's been a rumour going round," Joseph lowered his voice. "They take people that don't abide by their rules, and feed them to aliens."

"No way!" Caitlyn pushed her chair back and stood up. "Aliens don't exist."

"What were those things that came out of the sewers last month?" Joseph asked her. "Don't you dare tell me they were human."

"They-" Caitlyn began, then realised her patient was telling the truth. "How long until they kill him?"

Joseph shrugged. "You've probably lost him if you don't find him in half an hour. I'm sorry, Doc."

"I'm going to find him," Caitlyn vowed. "Do you know where they're based?"

Joseph shook his head. "Somewhere in Cardiff, I'd imagine. No idea where exactly, though."

"Thanks," Caitlyn stood up and left the cubicle.

"For what?" Joseph called out, but the doctor had already vanished from view. As she hurried out of the hospital, she crashed into a trolley covered with surgical equipment.

"Sorry," she apologised, bending down to help the young nurse tidy up. As she picked up a scalpel, a thought rushed through her brain. Subtly pocketing it, she vowed not to let Torchwood kill Dante, whatever it took.

TWTWTWTW

"What is this place?" Dante asked, struggling to take the vast building in. "What does it look like from the top? I've never seen it before, and I've lived in Cardiff all my life."

"Welcome to the Hub," Jack smiled. "On top of us are just streets. People walking around, minding their everyday business, and we're down here, saving their lives day after day."

"This is your base?" Dante asked.

Jack nodded. "You like it?"

"I love it," Dante grinned, spotting a cluster of computer screens not far from where the group were standing. "How much electronic equipment do you have?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Jack laughed. "You name it; Torchwood's got it somewhere, whatever century it's from. It's finding it out of storage when we need it which is the problem. Luckily, Ianto here knows where everything is."

"Not quite everything," Ianto blushed.

"Oh, don't be so modest, Ianto," Jack told him. "You and I both know you keep this place organised. Oh and Dante, what Ianto doesn't know about the local area isn't worth knowing. You said you're a Cardiff boy, but if you need to know where anything is, don't look it up, just visit the Encyclopaedia Jones."

"What do you do?" Dante asked. "I don't mean your individual roles, I mean Torchwood. What's its purpose?"

"Torchwood," Jack folded his arms and leant against the wall. "There's a rift in time and space in Cardiff, and things fall through. Creatures and objects from other times and other planets. If we weren't here, these things would destroy the Earth ten times over. To put it simply, we save the planet from aliens."

"So where do I come in?" Dante asked. "When do you use me as alien meat?"

"What makes you think we're using you as alien meat?" Gwen asked. She, unlike Jack, was not laughing at the new boy's comment.

"That's what everyone says," Dante explained. "People think Torchwood feed the Cardiff citizens to aliens. Then there's those who don't believe in aliens, and think you eat us yourself."

"Oh my gosh," Gwen gasped.

"I know," Jack laughed. "They've got us so wrong, and it's great. We can do whatever we like without getting questioned, because they're scared of us. Not that they questioned us before," he assured Dante. "What Torchwood wants, Torchwood gets."

"Replace 'Torchwood' with 'Jack'," Ianto told the young man with a laugh, "And you'll understand what I have to put up with every day."

"Don't pretend you don't enjoy it," Jack replied with a wink. "You love me for a reason."

"Boys!"The panic in Gwen's voice brought them back to reality with a bump.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, placing a hand on Gwen's shoulder.

"We're so out of touch," she explained. "Cardiff hates us, and we never realised. Rhys could have told me, and he didn't. You know, any one of us could have done more to find out about what people think. We've been so wrapped up in our own grief; we've forgotten what it's like to be normal. Cardiff has lost people too. Ordinary people, but people with families and friends who are looking for someone to blame. They blame us, Jack, and they hate us for it. While we've been mourning and moving on down here, there's been people doing exactly the same on the streets. Except we haven't realised that they've been directing their anger at us." Sobbing, she turned to face Jack. "Tosh and Owen gave their lives for this city. All they get in return is hate."

"It's alright," Jack wrapped his arms around Gwen and stroked her back.

"No it's not!" Gwen snapped back. "It won't be long before people track us down and start hurting us. We've got to find a way to win back the trust of Cardiff. We put them in danger – got people killed, even – and we've got to find a way to make amends. We can't bring back the dead." Suddenly, she looked up at Jack, a pleading look in her eye. "Can we?"

"No." Jack was adamant, and he stepped away from Gwen. "We are not, I repeat not, bringing back the dead. No way. I don't care what you say, it's not going to happen. Anyway, half the people are probably six feet under by now."

"Captain Jack Harkness, you really have no understanding of human emotions." Gwen slapped Jack, then turned and stormed towards the staircase. "And don't think I didn't mean that!" she shouted back before disappearing from view.

Dante's mouth was wide open. "She-" he stammered, unsure what to say or do.

"Women," Jack told him. "They might as well be aliens. Shut that mouth, as well. You'll end up breathing in too many Phlagellyanites. They're in the air. They don't harm me, but they're from the forty-third century and until your body builds up immunity, they could get into your body and trigger a shutdown. When most people collapse in the streets, it's due to Phlagellyanite overload. Obviously the public can't know that such things exist, so they're told it's a heart attack. "

"Will she be alright?" Dante asked.

"Oh, she'll get over it," Jack nodded. "Ianto, you might as well ring the pizza place and order us some food. I've been told it's good for the damaged ego."

"Right on it, sir," Ianto headed towards the phone. Jack watched him, a smile on his face.

"I'm assuming you like pizza," Jack told Dante. The younger man nodded, and Jack put an arm around him. "Right, while we wait, I'll give you the guided tour."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Gwen's desk was a jumble of papers and other assorted belongings she had accumulated and not found time to sort out. Sweeping all this to one side, she cleared a space on the desk before sitting down and slumping forward, burying her head in her folded arms. Tears soaked the sleeves of her jacket as she poured out all the emotion she had been bottling up for days.

"Gwen." Ianto's voice caused her to look up.

"What is it?" she asked, an unintentionally harsh tone to her voice.

"I've brought you some coffee," Ianto held out a mug. "I thought you might need it."

"Thanks," Gwen wiped away her tears with her cuff and accepted the drink. "You don't know how badly I needed that," she told Ianto after taking a mouthful of the steaming coffee.

"Tough day?" he asked.

Gwen nodded. "I knew the day would come when Jack would find people to replace Owen and Tosh, but I didn't imagine it would be like this. I just feel sorry for the kid. I don't think he knows what he's letting himself in for."

"None of us did," Ianto reminded her. "Not at first, anyway."

"We were older," Gwen replied sadly. "At least, I was. I'd had some life experience, met Rhys, and made some friends in the police force. Dante's going to know nothing about adult life except what Torchwood has to offer him."

"Why don't you go for a walk?" Ianto suggested. "You know, to clear your head? You look like you need it. Jack won't mind. He's busy with Dante, anyway."

"Oh yeah?" Gwen stood up and forced a smile. "Looks like you might have a rival, Yan."

"Jack wouldn't do that to me," Ianto replied, an air of confidence in his voice. But as Gwen left her office, and Ianto picked up the empty mug, there was a niggling of doubt in his mind.

TWTWTW

Caitlyn sat in her car, staring out at the bay. She'd searched everywhere she thought Torchwood might be, but to no avail. She'd asked question after question to all kinds of people in Cardiff, but none of them knew Torchwood's location. One man had even questioned whether she had a death wish in looking for them. Sighing, Caitlyn knew Dante was probably dead by now. Either fed to an alien, or shot through the head. Caitlyn didn't know which was worse. Her hand reached for the scalpel in her pocket. She'd seen three members of Torchwood, and would kill any of them if there was any chance of saving Dante.

Swinging open her car door, Caitlyn made her way towards a café. Stomach rumbling, she picked up a sandwich and placed a handful of coins on the till. Sorting through them with her fingers, she pushed a few towards the checkout worker and pocketed the rest. Caitlyn sat down at a table outside and tried to relax in the midday sun.

TWTWTW

Gwen wasn't sure where she was going, but jogging around Cardiff Bay made her feel better than she had done in days. Ianto was right, again: the fresh air was doing her good. She didn't know how long she had, but Ianto had promised to call her, through Torchwood's standard issue Bluetooth earpiece, when Jack needed her back. Stopping to cross the road, she was surprised when Rhys pulled up next to her in his car.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" he asked, winding down the window.

"I'm on a break," Gwen leant into the car to kiss him.

"You get breaks at Torchwood?" Rhys feigned shock. "Come on, I'll treat you to lunch. There's a new little café over there. Stacey from work says it's meant to be good."

"The boys have ordered pizza," Gwen told him. His pleading expression changed her mind. "Oh, alright then. Just don't get annoyed if I have to run, and leave you to pay the bill." She stepped backwards to allow Rhys to get out of the car, then slipped her arm through his as they walked towards the café.

"How's your morning been?" Rhys asked as they approached the building.

"I came out to get away from work," Gwen sighed. "Can we please talk about something else? Anyway, you know I'm not allowed to talk about it, especially not here."

"That bad, was it?" Rhys pecked Gwen on the cheek. "Do you want to sit inside or out?"

Gwen peered through the glass windows. The rows of tables surrounded by smartly dressed office workers made her mind up for her "Outside," she smiled.

Rhys nodded, and pulled out a chair. "Seat, Mrs Williams?"

Gwen laughed as she sat down. "You've no idea how odd it still sounds to be called that. I guess I'm so used to being Gwen Cooper at work that when I'm Gwen Williams with everyone else, I can't recognise my own name half the time."

"Well, you'd better get used to it," Rhys smiled as he picked up a menu from the table. "You'll be using that name for a long time yet. And no saying 'what if work kills me?' either, because it won't. You and me, we're going to grow old together with lots of grandchildren to spoil." Rhys' happy expression turned to one of shock as he saw the woman on the table behind Gwen rise and step towards them, a bladed object in her hand reflecting the sun.

"What's wrong?" Gwen asked, turning. A scalpel appeared at her throat, and Gwen gulped.

"Torchwood," the woman snarled. "You've got my friend, and you better not have killed him. If you have, then you're dead too."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Put the blade down," Gwen commanded. The woman simply laughed in her face. Gwen recognised her, but struggled to put a name to her face or, indeed, recall where she knew her from.

"You think I'm going to let you get away with this easily? Take me to Torchwood."

"I can't," Gwen told her apologetically. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You were in the hospital earlier. Perhaps you remember my friend Dante better than me. You took him, after all. You said you wouldn't hurt him, but I don't believe you."

"You were that doctor," Gwen realised. "Look, your friend's perfectly safe with us. Please, just put the blade down." She raised a hand to her ear and pretended to scratch, but activating her Bluetooth earpiece at the same time. "You're not going to do anybody any favours with that thing."

"Take me to him," Caitlyn demanded. "Have you got a car?"

"It's parked at the Hub," Gwen told her. "Anyway, I can't drive when you've got that blade at my neck."

"Spot on," Caitlyn laughed. "That's why your boyfriend here is going to drive us."

"We're married, actually," Rhys corrected the arrogant doctor with a scowl. "And if you use that scalpel on my wife, I promise you I will kill you."

"Oh, how lovely." Caitlyn feigned amusement. "If Torchwood kills Dante, then I kill Mrs Torchwood here, and then you're going to kill me. One long chain of death. But that's all Torchwood brings, isn't it? Death and destruction."

"I guess I'd better take you to Torchwood," Gwen spoke slowly and clearly, hoping Jack or Ianto were listening back at the Hub. "Rhys, you'd better drive. Use the bay entrance."

Rhys walked slowly towards the car and unlocked it. Caitlyn and Gwen followed, the doctor still holding the scalpel to the Torchwood employee's throat.

"If any of you call the police," Caitlyn shouted at the crowd who had gathered outside the café, "I'll come back and stab the lot of you." She gave Gwen a nudge into the back of the car and sat down next to her.

"Are you sure about this?" Rhys asked as he put the key into the ignition.

"If I don't, I'm dead," Gwen replied sadly. "And you said a few minutes ago that work's not going to kill me. If we don't do this, then it will."

"No messing around," Caitlyn told Rhys. "If you take me to the wrong place, Mrs Torchwood gets it in the neck. So you'd better hope he knows the way."

TWTWTWTW

"Where the hell is our pizza?" Jack asked, sitting in the boardroom with his feet on the table. "And more to the point, where the hell is Gwen?"

"She went out for a walk," Ianto explained. "Shall I call her and tell her to come back?"

"Might be a good idea," Jack replied sarcastically. "What does she think she's playing at? First she slaps me, then she walks out without warning."

"She's hurting," Ianto moved closer to Jack. "She's mourning Tosh and Owen, and she's coming to terms with the fact that nobody trusts Torchwood. Give her time, and she'll get over it. Just don't rush her."

"Poor Gwen," Dante murmured to himself. He was sat at the table, twiddling a strand of hair in his fingers.

"Poor Gwen with a very hard slap," Jack reminded him. "One piece of advice you ought to remember is that Gwen Cooper is not a good person to annoy."

"You can annoy Jack all you like, though," Ianto told Dante with a smile. "When he's angry, he's very attractive."

"Aren't you supposed to be calling Gwen?" Jack asked.

Ianto nodded, and blushed. "I'll call her now, sir. Shall I check up on the pizza while I'm there, too?"

"That would be good," Jack smiled. He turned to Dante as Ianto left. "He is so much more than just the tea boy."

TWTWTWTW

"Gwen," Ianto said as he walked through the Hub. "Gwen, are you picking this up? Gwen? Jack wants you back. As soon as you can, alright?" Heading towards the false tourist information office, Ianto heard the sound of a door opening. He sped up his walk and entered the room. "How much for-"

"What were you expecting?" Caitlyn asked with a laugh. "Pizza?"

"Well, yes, actually," Ianto muttered, trying to take in the situation. The doctor who had tried to stop the team taking Dante earlier that day was holding a scalpel to Gwen's neck, and it didn't look like a prank. Rhys was standing behind the two women, his face as white as his polo shirt.

"Pity," Caitlyn told him. "Where's the American? Where's Dante?"

"They're in the Hub," Ianto told her, reaching into his jacket pocket. Producing his standard issue Torchwood gun, he aimed it at the disturbed doctor. "One wrong move and I shoot. Rhys, go fetch Jack from the boardroom."

"Gwen," Rhys whispered.

"She'll be alright, just get Jack." Sweat crept onto Ianto's face as he gripped the weapon tightly.

"I love you," Rhys told his wife as he ran behind Ianto and into the Hub. "Jack!"

"This is the second time a bloke's threatened to kill me today. Can't say it's the best way to turn a girl on." Caitlyn's seemingly calm composure whilst having a gun pointed at her shocked Gwen. There seemed to be something wrong with this woman.

"I'll place a bet on Jack being the third," Ianto snorted.

"Yan, don't annoy her," Gwen told her colleague. "She's got a scalpel to my throat, and it's not the most reassuring of positions to be in."

"Sorry, Gwen," Ianto wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

"She's not going to die," From the doorway, Jack appeared, flanked by Dante and Rhys. "Look, Dante's alive. Now drop the scalpel, Caitlyn."

As the metallic blade hit the floor, Gwen ran and threw her arms around Rhys, sobbing.

"It's alright, sweetheart" he soothed, stroking her back. "Nobody's going to hurt you."

"I thought I was going to die," Gwen's voice was muffled against Rhys' chest. "Rhys, I'm scared. I don't think I can do this job any more."

"You can," Rhys told her confidently. "You're strong, Gwen Williams. You can do anything."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The three Torchwood members sat in the boardroom, along with Dante and Rhys. Three empty pizza boxes littered the table in the middle. Caitlyn, having been sedated by Jack for the safety of everyone in the Hub, was recovering in one of the cells.

"How are you doing, Gwen?" Jack asked.

"What do you think?" Rhys spoke before his wife could open her mouth. "She's had some nutter hold a scalpel to her throat. She nearly died today, and if she had, I would have blamed you." He gripped Gwen's hand tighter under the table. "I've only just got used to what you lot do, but believe me, if she'd died-"

"But she didn't." Jack's expression was hard for Gwen to read. She wasn't sure if he was angry that Rhys had spoken for her, or was pleased that Gwen had someone that would defend her.

"Rhys, I can speak for myself," she eventually told him. There was a noticeable trembling in her voice, and Rhys nodded.

"I'm sorry, love," he told her. "I just couldn't bear losing you."

"You're not the only one," Jack looked across at Gwen, a sadness creeping onto his face. "We've lost two members of our team already, and there's no way I'm losing you as well. Go home, Gwen. Spend some time with Rhys, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" Gwen asked. "I don't mind staying, I-"

"Go home," Jack repeated. "Please. For me?"

"Alright," Gwen agreed reluctantly, pushing her chair backwards. She looked at Rhys. "I need someone to drive me." Rhys stood up and kissed Gwen's forehead.

"Do you want to go to the cinema or anywhere?" he asked. "You can pick the movie, and I'll even watch one of those soppy love movies you're so fond of."

"I just want to go home," Gwen told Rhys. He wrapped an arm around her and nodded. "Although," she said with a slight smile, "we could call in at the movie rental place on the way."

Jack leant back in his chair as he watched the couple leave. "Right," he announced to the two men left in the room, "we've got ourselves a doctor to interrogate."

Before the trio even reached the cells, it was obvious to them that Caitlyn had recovered from the injection. She was screaming all sorts of obscenities and banging her fists against the glass front of the small cell.

"Nice to see you too," Jack told her, folding his arms and leaning against the glass. "Now, are you going to explain why you were about to kill one of my team, or do I have to force it out of you?"

"Why did you take Dante?" Caitlyn asked him, retreating to the bench at the back of the cell.

"Ah, so it all boils down to the boyfriend," Jack joked, much to Dante's embarrassment.

"We're not going out," the young man told Jack with a scowl.

"Going out, bedtime buddies, it all boils down to the same thing," Jack shrugged, glancing at Ianto with a smile.

"I wouldn't say it was exactly the same, sir," Ianto replied. "I've noticed a few considerable differences."

"Now's not the time, but you can elaborate later if you like," Jack winked. He turned back to Caitlyn, who bore the stoniest expression Jack had seen in the twenty-first century. "So, where were we?"

"You took Dante," Caitlyn reminded him.

"Ah yes," Jack smiled. "Our little computer genius here. He hacked into our system, but then you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" He leaned closer against the glass, his glazed eyes staring at Caitlyn, anticipating her next move.

"If he's such a genius, why did you take him? Why aren't you holding him in a cage?"

Jack pushed himself away from the glass. "Torchwood needs clever people like Dante. He's got outstanding computer skills, and with a bit of training, he'll be an excellent field agent." Jack put an arm around the young man's shoulder. "We didn't take Dante to hurt him. We took him to offer him a job."

"Are you going to offer me one?" Caitlyn joked. She already knew the answer, but didn't expect Jack's reaction. He opened the cage and shoved Caitlyn against the wall with one hand, holding his gun to her head with the other. Dante was alarmed, and tried to run in. It was only Ianto's firm grip that restrained him.

"Be happy I'm not going to kill you, after what you did to Gwen." Jack was so close Caitlyn could smell him. He had an unusual scent, but she liked it.

"What aftershave do you use, Jack?"

"You call me Captain, or sir," he snapped, "and I don't use aftershave. Fifty-first century pheromones are what you're smelling now. The ladies like it, and so do most of the men." He retreated with the gun. "I'm not about to kill anyone right now. Tell me, why did you threaten her with a scalpel?"

Caitlyn shrugged. "She wouldn't have brought me here otherwise."

"And you wanted her to bring you here because?" Anger vented from Jack's voice.

"You took Dante," she replied simply.

Jack thudded his fist against the glass, shaking it. "I'm going to return in half an hour," he told her, "and by that time I expect a proper response." He left the cage, shutting the door behind him. Turning to Dante and Ianto, he smiled. "Come on boys, we've got alien activity to check on."

"You can't leave me here!" Caitlyn shouted, kicking at the cell wall.

"Watch me," Jack said, turning back. His expression told her he wasn't joking, and Caitlyn leant against the wall in tears.

"You can't do this!" she raged.

"Should one of us watch her and make sure she's alright?" Dante asked.

Jack shook his head. "She won't do herself any harm in there, and it's better than having her running loose around Cardiff while she's in this state. We don't want her threatening to kill anyone else now, do we?" There was humour in his voice, but all three men knew the seriousness of the situation. They had a deranged doctor locked in their cells, and none of them knew what she would do.


	9. Chapter 9

A knock on the door of Inspector Tunde Devyn's office woke him from his daydream. The visit by the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness wouldn't leave his mind, and Tunde had a suspicion the American was after something far more dangerous than flat car tyres. After all, Torchwood only sorted out the stuff the police couldn't.

"Come in," Tunde rose from his desk as a young female officer entered his office.

"Sir, there's something you ought to know. It's about your son."

"What's happened?" Sweat crept onto Tunde's forehead. "Is he alright?"

"I don't know," the woman replied quietly. "Torchwood took him from the hospital earlier this morning and he hasn't returned."

Tunde swore under his breath, then recovered his composure. "Check the CCTV footage and see if you can trace where they took him."

"Sir, there's a team already on it."

"Good. I'll make a few phone calls and see what I can dig up." Tunde cracked his knuckles. "PC Carter, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Carter, I want you to get down the hospital and take statements from anyone who was in the building at the time, and might have overheard their conversation." Tunde watched as the young officer left his office, then sat down, head in hands. He hadn't expected this news. Reaching for his phone, he prepared to call his wife, Rosa. He didn't know how to break the news their son had been taken by a mysterious group, but there had to be a way. Choking back tears, Tunde began to dial.

"Rosa," he began. "It's about Dante."

Jack stood next to the computer, pointing to the screen. "So you see," he explained to Dante, "we think alien forces have been taking the air out of car tyres to power some sort of device. Here's all the cars which have fallen victim to whatever our air thief is, and I want you to try and find some sort of correlation."

"How am I meant to do that?" Dante asked.

"You're the computer genius," Jack told him, backing away. "I'll leave you to it."

"It's only the internet I'm good with," Dante protested. "I did ICT A-level, but I'm still not much better than your average person with most programmes."

"Teach yourself," Jack told him, turning away.

"What?"

"You've got free reign to all of Torchwood's software. Surely there's something on our system you can use to work out any connection between the incidents."

"I guess," Dante sighed, typing on the keyboard.

"There will be," Jack told him. "You'll just have to find it. If you need help, ask Ianto." He looked across to the young Welshman, who was sweeping the Hub floor, seemingly content. "I'll be interrogating our uninvited guest."

"Caitlyn?" Dante asked, concerned. "Don't hurt her, Jack. Please."

"Are you forgetting she nearly killed Gwen?" Jack snapped. "I'll deal with her any way I choose."

"She's normally really nice," Dante defended his hospital colleague. "I don't know why she's acting all weird. Please don't kill her. I know you think that's all she deserves, but it's not right. Give her a chance to apologise, Jack."

"One chance," Jack promised. "But if it's a choice between the safety of my team and Caitlyn's life, she's dead."

"Thankyou," Dante bowed his head and turned back to the screen. "I'll see what I can do with this data."

"I quite fancy watching this," Gwen told Rhys as she picked a DVD case from the shelf. Rhys took it from her and turned it over in his hands.

"_Dirty Dancing_," he frowned. "You don't feel like renting _The Matrix_ instead, do you?"

"No, I don't." Gwen turned around and faced Rhys. "You said I could choose the movie, and I am." She walked over to the counter and placed the case down. "We'll take a bag of popcorn as well, please."

"That'll be seven pounds, please," the young girl working at the till told Gwen as she reached into a cabinet for the popcorn. Gwen slid a ten pound note across to the youngster and grinned at Rhys.

"You're not going to ruin the film by crunching all the way through it," she told him, poking his stomach playfully.

Rhys pretended to be offended. "When do I ever do that?"

"What about when I was watching _Titanic _the other week? You insisted on eating a bowl of cereal as loud as possible right at the really romantic part."

"I did not," Rhys insisted. The look on the shop assistant's face caused the couple to blush. Gwen scooped the change into her pocket, and picked up the DVD and popcorn.

"Come on," she smiled, looping her arm around Rhys'. "I want to make the most of my afternoon off."

Rhys kissed her on the cheek. "I like that idea," he smiled.

"So do I," Gwen teased him. "Girlie movies all afternoon, just curled up on the sofa eating popcorn."

"That wasn't exactly what I had in mind," Rhys told her as he unlocked the car.

"Let's see how it goes," Gwen smiled. "Just so long as nobody tries to kill me, I'll be happy."

Rhys turned the ignition, then swore as the car failed to move. "It was working fine before," he grumbled. "Feels like we've got a flat."

"No way," Gwen sighed as Rhys got out to investigate. He'd predicted right. The rear left tyre was completely airless. There seemed to be no sign of a puncture, and there was no way the tyre could have been totally deflated in the short amount of time they had been in the shop. Gwen appeared, crouching beside him and already suspecting the cause. "Aliens," she declared. "I'd better call Jack."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Locked in the cell, Caitlyn regretted ever asking Dante to help her learn about Torchwood. They had taken him and brainwashed him into joining their ranks, and there seemed no way Caitlyn was going to be able to get him back. A banging on the glass brought her back to the present.

"Go away," she snapped, without even looking up.

"I've brought you a drink," Jack told her. "To get it, you'll have to answer my questions first."

"Will you let me go after that?" Caitlyn asked, standing and stretching her arms out.

Jack avoided her question. "How did you find out about Torchwood?"

"I asked first," Caitlyn huffed. "Just because you're some super-elite group that goes around killing people it doesn't mean you have the right to ignore me."

"We might let you go, we might not," Jack told her eventually. "It depends on the outcome of the interview. Now, how did you find out about Torchwood?"

"Everyone's heard of you," Caitlyn shrugged. "One of my patients mentioned something about you causing the destruction of Cardiff last month, and I was curious. Then, when you came to the hospital, I remembered your faces. I saw the woman and her boyfriend or whoever in a café and took the opportunity to get Dante back."

"I see." Jack pressed a hand against the glass. "What made you feel the need to threaten Gwen with a scalpel?"

"She wouldn't have brought me here otherwise." Caitlyn ran a hand through her matted hair. "I had to make sure Dante was alright."

"Then what were you going to do?" Jack quizzed.

Caitlyn stared at him blankly for a moment. "I was so sure he was in trouble," she explained. "What everyone's said about Torchwood, that it's bad, it convinced me he was in danger. I didn't think that you might want to offer him a job."

"That's obvious," Jack told her. "Now, the question is, what am I going to do with you?" He watched Caitlyn, waiting for her reaction. Nothing happened. Her eyes met his, and the pair stood, transfixed. Eventually, Caitlyn looked away.

"You won't kill me," she told him, assertively.

"What makes you think that?" Jack asked. "After all, you were going to kill Gwen earlier."

"I wasn't actually going to," Caitlyn lied. "I only meant to scare her, to get her to come here."

"What if Dante wasn't alive?" Jack folded his arms. "If you'd come here and found him dead, you wouldn't have hesitated in using the scalpel to kill Gwen. Don't say that isn't the case, because I've seen it before. You would have killed her, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," Caitlyn whispered. She tried not to show her fear, but underneath her calm exterior, she was petrified. Torchwood had so much, there were probably a hundred different ways they could kill her, and a similar number of ways they would cover it up.

"Honesty," Jack smiled. "Finally, we're getting somewhere. You're a doctor, aren't you?"

Caitlyn nodded. "I don't see the relevance, but yeah."

"Your job is to save lives."

"Yeah," Caitlyn replied again. She could see where the conversation was going.

"Do you want to save a few more?" Jack's words stunned the woman. She'd been expecting some sort of rant about how it wasn't right to take other people's lives, or potentially even a sarcastic remark about how it was too late to save her own. She was nowhere near prepared for Jack's actual question. "Well?" he asked.

"Uh, yes, obviously," Caitlyn eventually stammered. "I'm a doctor, of course I do. It's my job."

"You're lucky," Jack's expression was unreadable. "I'm going to let you."

As Ianto walked across the Hub towards the kitchen, he heard the familiar sound of Jack's mobile ringtone coming from his office. Knowing the older man was busy, Ianto went to answer it himself, humming quietly along to the tune. He'd secretly changed it to a cheesy pop song a while ago, and it was obvious Jack either liked the song, or kept it out of affection for Ianto. After all, what self-respecting man has the Spice Girls as his ringtone? Chuckling, Ianto picked up the mobile, briefly glancing at the display.

"Gwen?"

"Jack, I- Ianto, is that you? I'm not even going to ask why you have Jack's mobile. Is he there?"

"He's busy talking to that woman," Ianto explained. "Is it urgent?"

Confidence slipped from Gwen's voice. "Oh. Well, it's about that car tyre problem he was on about the other day. It seems it's happened to Rhys' car, too."

"Where are you?" Ianto asked. He made a mental note as Gwen told him her location. "Stay there, I'm coming to get you." Hanging up, he scribbled a post-it note for Jack, and stuck it to the door. Heading out of the Hub, Ianto felt for his car keys in his pocket.

"Where are you going?" Ianto turned around, having heard Dante's voice.

"Out," Ianto told him simply. He didn't feel the need to explain it to the youngest and newest member of Torchwood; the kid ha enough on his plate as it was. "I'll be on the comms if you need me."

"Comms?" Dante echoed.

"Communications. Mobile phones. You know, that stuff."

"Oh." Dante wanted to kick himself. "Alright then. See you later." Ianto was out of the Hub before Dante had time to register. "Fine," he muttered to himself. "Don't say goodbye, then." Turning back to the screen, he looked at the data in front of him. There was something not quite right about the whole situation, and suddenly it registered. Dante swore under his breath. If Ianto was fetching his car from the multi-storey nearby, there was a possibility he wouldn't reach Gwen and Rhys. Running out of the Hub, Dante began to shout the Welshman's name. "Come back!" It was too late. Ianto was already out of view.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Gwen sat in the car, fiddling with the radio dial. She pretended to Rhys that she was trying to find traffic news coverage, but really it was a way to keep her mind occupied. Jack was with Caitlyn, and this worried Gwen greatly. She knew the man was unable to be killed, but all the same, she didn't want Caitlyn to hurt him. She cared for Jack. She cared for Ianto too, but it was Jack that took up most of her attention. There was something about him that made Gwen feel responsible for him. She knew it was silly, but sometimes she could see that inside, he was just a kid desperate for attention. When Gwen caught a rare glimpse of little lost Jack, she knew something was wrong. The past month, she'd been seeing the tortured Jack much more often than she had done when Toshiko and Owen were alive. She knew Jack felt guilty about their deaths, but there was nothing Gwen could do to help him. He would eventually accept it, Gwen hoped.

"Gwen!" She looked up to see Ianto tapping on the window.

Winding it down, a smile crept onto her face. "Thanks for coming, Yan."

"We need to get the tyre off your car and into the SUV. I want it back at the Hub for analysis." Ianto was already making his way around the side of the vehicle.

"Go help him, Rhys," Gwen told her husband, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. "He won't be able to manage it alone. Use some of your muscle power." She winked at Rhys as he left the car. Gwen leant over to pull the driver's door shut. She doubted there were any more scalpel-wielding Torchwood haters in the street, but even so, she wasn't feeling totally secure. Opening the glove compartment, she felt inside for a sweet. Rhys always kept a packet of mints in the car, a slightly peculiar habit but one Gwen was glad for. She needed something to distract her from the harsh truth: she was likely to soon end up face-to-face with the woman who nearly killed her.

At the rear of the car, Rhys and Ianto were struggling to remove the tyre. Rhys was desperate to get the tyre off in the quickest possible time and return to Gwen, whilst Ianto was more concerned with trying to avoid contaminating the evidence. Eventually, the rubber wheel was loaded into the boot of the SUV. Rhys opened his car door and turned off the engine.

"Ianto's giving us a lift back to the Hub. We'll pick your car up from there, and a spare tyre," he explained.

"Whatever," Gwen shrugged, staring out of the window.

"Are you alright, love?" Rhys placed an oily hand on Gwen's lap. She pushed it away.

"These jeans are new, I don't want them ruined," she told him angrily. Then her composure melted, and tears began to roll down her pale face. "I don't want to go there. She'll be there, I know it."

"That woman?" Rhys guessed.

Gwen nodded. "Please, Rhys. I don't want to see her. I don't want to die."

"Oh, love." Rhys wiped a hand on his polo shirt before slipping it round Gwen's neck. "Nobody's going to hurt you. Jack will have her locked up, don't you worry about it. You've got me to protect you, anyway."

"What would I do without you?" Gwen forced a smile. "Every day, I'm risking my life fighting aliens, and here I am, scared of a woman. I'm so glad I didn't lose you forever."

"You never lost me at all," Rhys told her, giving her a kiss. "Come on, Ianto's waiting."

"Alright," Gwen agreed, reaching for her bag. "Little do you know," she muttered to herself.

"What was that, love?" Rhys asked.

"Nothing," Gwen lied, opening the car door.

TWTWTW

Dante turned to get back into the Hub, and swore. The door leading into the main body of the building was locked, and the young man had no idea how to open it. He recalled the other Torchwood members accessing by pressing a button, but Dante didn't know where it was situated, or whether there was any sort of code he had to activate. He banged on the door, shouting Jack's name. No response came, and Dante slumped into the chair in the tourist information centre angrily. He tried to work out how he had come to be locked out of Torchwood. Surely Jack would miss him soon, and come looking for him. He only had to sit it out in the small front for a couple of hours. Dante convinced himself he'd be able to manage, just as long as there wasn't an overhaul of foreign tourists asking the way to the Millennium Stadium.

Racking his brains, the young Welshman vaguely recalled Jack mentioning another entrance to the Hub. He didn't know where it was situated, but figured it would be somewhere reasonably nearby. Scribbling a note on the back of a leaflet advertising a carnival from 2006, Dante left it on the desk for Ianto to find when he returned. Dante stood up and left the shabby room, frustrated yet intrigued. Walking along the Plass, he became immersed in the crowds of schoolchildren making their way home. It hadn't been so long since Dante was one of the smartly-dressed teenagers in a dark blazer and backpack, but it felt like forever ago. In fact, even the morning he had spent at the hospital felt like forever ago. It was amazing how Torchwood affected his perception of time.

"Dan!" A tap on the shoulder caused Dante to spin around. His younger sister and two school friends stood there, grinning madly at him.

"Oh, hi, Daisha," Dante feigned enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?"

"We're going back to Maddy's," Daisha explained, gesturing towards the taller of her two friends. "Why aren't you at work?"

"I got locked out." Dante shuffled his feet and looked, embarrassed, at the gum-covered pavement.

"The hospital's nowhere near here," Maddy informed him. She looked at Daisha. "That is where he works, right?"

"Yeah," Daisha replied, laughing. "How the heck did you manage that, anyway?"

"I don't work there any more," Dante told her. "I've got a new job."

"Oh yeah?"

"I work for Torchwood." The looks on the three girls' faces were full of horror.

"But they're-" Maddy began.

"They killed-" Daisha stammered.

"Why?" Vicky, Daisha's other friend, asked.

Dante sighed. "They're good people, really. They offered me a job, and I'm going to take it. I want to do something with my life, rather than be stuck behind a desk all day."

"Don't you care that it's dangerous?" Maddy asked.

Dante shook his head. "In this world, everything's dangerous. You just have to take the risks."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Walking through the Hub, Jack couldn't help but notice the silence in the building. Even calling out the names of his team proved unsuccessful. He reached for his ear piece, activating it. "Yan?"

"Jack?" Ianto's cheery voice entered his ear.

"Where the hell are you, Yan?"

"Gwen called. Problem with Rhys' car tyre. I went to pick them up."

"Are they with you now?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, do you want to speak to her?"

"No, no, it's fine. Are you coming back here?"

"Yes. Oh, and Jack?"

"Shall I find the stopwatch out?" Jack laughed.

"No," Ianto was not impressed with his lover's sense of humour. "I've got another tyre to analyse. How's the kid doing?"

"He's not with you?" Jack asked. "He's not in the Hub, I assumed you'd taken him out with you."

"I've only got Gwen and Rhys in the car," Ianto told him.

Jack swore. "We need to find him, and fast. If he's spoken to anyone, we've got a hell of a lot of ret-conning to do later."

TWTWTWTW

"So," Vicky sipped on her cola, "you work for Torchwood?"

"That's what I said," Dante leant back in the chair and glanced over towards the Hub. The café was located in a perfect spot; he could talk to his sister and her friends whilst still watching to see if Ianto turned up with the car.

"Is it good?" Maddy asked. "As a career, I mean."

"I only started today," Dante sighed. "I'll let you know when I've been there longer, yeah?"

"Are there any cute guys there?" Maddy continued. "Apart from you, obviously."

Daisha blushed. "These two seem to think you're good-looking, for some strange reason. I swear they're on drugs or something."

"You've got good taste, girls," Dante laughed.

Daisha snorted into her glass. "Don't encourage them, Dan. They're bad enough as it is."

"Not my fault if girls find me irresistible," Dante teased his sister. The glare he received told him he'd overstepped the mark. "So, what are you planning on doing later?"

"Not that much," Daisha replied. "Maddy's got an empty house, so we're probably going to end up on the Xbox or something."

"But you've got to go back to work," Maddy taunted him. "Not that I wouldn't mind you coming round my house and all that."

"Sorry girls, you're too young for me," Dante told them.

"Who's that?" Vicky asked suddenly, looking up at a middle-aged man dressed in a long coat who was approaching their table.

Dante turned, smiling. "Hi, Jack," he waved. "It's my new boss," Dante mouthed to the three girls.

Jack tapped Dante on the shoulder. "I believe you're supposed to be working?"

"I got locked out," Dante tried to explain. "I was following Ianto, and-"

"Who are these?" Jack indicated the schoolgirls with his left hand.

"My sister, Daisha, and her mates, Vicky and Maddy," Dante smiled.

"Who are these?" Jack repeated, his voice showing no emotion. Dante struggled to predict what answer his boss was searching for.

"He just told you," Maddy cut in. "For a Torchwood boss, you don't pay that much attention."

Jack picked Maddy's glass up and took a mouthful, then spat it back into the cup. "I hate lemonade," he told her. "Now, I want all of you to follow me. Make sure you don't lock yourself out again, kid."

"But-" Vicky began to protest.

"Just do what he says," Dante told her, standing up. He pushed his chair in and followed Jack. Noticing the fear on his younger sister's face, he moved closer to her. "Don't worry, Daish, he won't hurt you."

"Are you sure? He seemed pretty angry to me. Is it my fault for talking to you?"

"No, it's not your fault," Dante soothed, putting an arm around the scared girl. "If anyone's in trouble, it's me. But don't worry," he added, seeing Daisha's expression, "I can handle it."

As Jack opened the door to the Hub, Dante made a mental note to work out how the older man entered. He wasn't about to let himself got locked out again. The three girls followed Jack through the winding corridors into the main body of the Hub, then into the boardroom.

"Take a seat, girls" Jack offered, "I'll be back in a minute. Dante, with me."

Dante followed his boss out of the room. "Look," he began, "Daisha approached me, and started talking. I couldn't really lie to my sister."

"You've got to keep a hold of your life," Jack told him as he reached for a bag of pills in a cupboard, "but you can't tell your family everything you do here. Everyone has secrets. Torchwood is no exception."

"I'm sorry," Dante stared at the floor. "What are you going to do with them? You can't hurt them."

"I'm not going to." Jack held up the packet he had found. "Ret-con. Otherwise known as the amnesia pill. I'll give each of them a small dose so they forget the last fifteen minutes or so, then send them on their way. We can't have people knowing all our secrets."

"I didn't tell them anything about what we do," Dante protested, following Jack to the kitchen. "You don't need to do this."

"Trust me, I do." Jack poured four glasses of water out and placed them on a tray. "I've been doing this long enough."

"Gwen was right," Dante frowned angrily. "You are out of touch. I'm not sure I want to be a part of this any more." Scowling, he walked out of the kitchen.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Maddy stood up from the chair in Torchwood's boardroom, frustrated.

"What's keeping us in here?" she asked her friends angrily. "Seriously, why did he just leave us in here? He must have known we'd want to leave, yet nobody's here to guard us."

"Maybe he's put up an invisible barrier?" Vicky guessed.

Daisha scowled. "Don't be stupid. No such things exist. Next, you'll be telling me they keep a dinosaur as a pet or something ridiculous like that.

"Well, this place is big enough," Vicky remarked, annoyed at Daisha's reaction. She'd only made the comment out of boredom. "Look, Daish, just because your brother works here doesn't make them perfect all of a sudden. People hate Torchwood, and there's got to be a reason behind it."

"My dad doesn't like them," Daisha told her friends. "He moans about them taking over police stuff, and they don't co-operate with police procedures. They walk around Cardiff with guns, apparently. That's what my dad says."

"Who is your dad?" Jack's presence startled the girls. His great coat swept across the boardroom floor and he placed a tray of drinks on the table. Removing one and taking a sip, he then proceeded to move the tray nearer the middle of the table. "Help yourselves, girls."

"Inspector Devyn," Daisha informed Jack. "You might have met him, he works at Cardiff Police Station."

"Ah yes," Jack scratched his head. "I met him this morning, actually. Can't say he was too pleased to see me, though. I may have accidentally tipped water on his head." Jack allowed himself a little chuckle at the memory. The three girls bore startled expressions.

"You did what?" Daisha stammered, unable to believe what she had just heard. "No wonder he doesn't like your lot."

"Drink up," Jack smiled, taking a deliberately large gulp of his water to encourage the three teenagers to do the same. "Now, there's something you need to know."

He paused for a moment to observe their faces. Daisha's dark skin was paler than Dante's had been when Jack first approached him. Maddy was in denial, and Vicky just seemed to be accepting the situation. The trouble with kids, Jack reminded himself, was their unpredictability. Although it seemed doctors were in the same league as children today.

Rock music cut into Jack's thoughts. "Whose mobile?" he enquired, a slight tint of humour in his voice.

"Mine," Daisha muttered, feeling her cheeks burn. She reached into her blazer pocket and glanced at the display. "It's my dad. I'll have to answer it."

"Give it here." Jack's words were an order, not a request, and Daisha felt intimidated. Reluctantly she placed her mobile onto the American's outstretched hand. Jack proceeded to flip the handset open and place it to his ear.

Tunde's familiar voice entered his ear almost at once. "Daish, have you seen your brother at all? It's important; he left work earlier and hasn't returned."

"Dante's fine, Inspector," Jack spoke with authority.

"Harkness?" Tunde shouted. Jack held the mobile away from his ear as the police officer raged.

"Look," Jack eventually managed to speak. "Dante's working for us now. Your daughter's fine, although she probably won't remember meeting us by this evening. I don't care what you say, and no! I am not a pervert, or a murderer, or- oh, that's not a nice way to speak to Torchwood. I shall have to report you to your senior for that. Oh, I can stick your senior up my where, sorry? I might take you up on that one, actually." He laughed, not caring that the three girls were trying to pick up on the conversation. "Look, Devyn," Jack's tone turned serious again. "I don't give a damn what you think, but your son's working for us now whether you like it or not." Jack snapped the phone shut angrily and slammed it down on the table.

Daisha reached across, shaking, and pocketed it. "What do I do if he calls again?"

"Don't answer," Jack told her curtly. "Come on, have you lot not finished those drinks yet?"

"I'm not thirsty." Maddy told him.

Jack slammed his fist down on the table. "Drink!" he roared. The schoolgirls quivered in their seats. Maddy lifted up her glass and gulped the rest of the water down. Vicky and Daisha followed, too numb to speak.

"Jack?" Gwen's Welsh lilt filled the room as Jack turned around.

"I thought I told you to go home," Jack frowned, frustration still in his voice.

"I went to pick them up because their car broke down," Ianto stepped forward. There was something about Jack's irate nature that troubled Ianto. Making his way over towards his boss and lover, Ianto felt it was his duty to calm him down, if not for his sake then for that of the three young, terrified visitors. "Jack, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Jack snapped. "Look, Ianto, take these three out onto the Plass and make sure they get on a bus, alright?"

"Come on." Ianto gestured towards the teenagers, who stood up. For the second time that afternoon, they reluctantly followed a stranger. Jack stood in the boardroom and let out a deep sigh.

"Where's the boy?" Gwen asked, sensing conversation was desperately needed.

"Down with the Weevils, for all I know," Jack shrugged.

"You mean you've lost him?" Gwen was shocked. "Jack, he's only a kid. He doesn't know what he's doing here, he might get hurt. What if he decides to open Janet's cage or something? I don't want to be scraping pieces of flesh up on my afternoon off."

"He walked off," Jack replied offhand. "We had a, well; I suppose you could call it a dispute, in the kitchen. He didn't want me ret-conning those girls."

"Sit down," Gwen told him, pulling out a chair and guiding Jack towards it gently. Looking up at Rhys, she gestured for him to leave. "See if Dante's down in the cells, will you, love?"

Rhys knew better than to question Torchwood instructions, even if he was more than a little unhappy with leaving his wife alone with her sex-crazy boss. He was beginning to understand the importance of Torchwood in Gwen's life, although accepting it was a totally different matter. He'd seen how upset she'd been when Toshiko and Owen had died, and he'd been the one to comfort her; the one to persuade her not to give up on the job she loved so dearly. Rhys wasn't entirely pleased with the set-up, but things were better now that he knew what was going on at Gwen's work, and he wasn't getting angry with her over the smallest of incidents. Opening the door quietly, Rhys set to work looking for the missing newcomer.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Dante leant against the pane of glass and slumped to the floor. In the cell behind him, Caitlyn moved so the pair were sitting effectively back to back, with the glass front to the doctor's cell the only barrier between them.

"Does Jack know you're down here?" Caitlyn asked.

"Don't know, don't care," Dante muttered. "Jack Harkness can get stuffed."

"What's annoying you?" There was a motherly edge to Caitlyn's voice, and Dante didn't like it.

"What's it to you, anyway?" he retorted. "It's not like you can do anything to help me, now that he's got you locked up. If I knew where the key was, I'd let you go, but I guess Harkness has it."

"Talk to him," Caitlyn told him.

"What?" Dante stood up and turned around. "That man won't listen to me. He's giving my kid sister amnesia pill as I speak, and I can't do anything about it. I might as well go take a pill myself. Then I can forget about this place, and what might have been. How can I work for Harkness if all he does is ignore me?"

"Talk to him," Caitlyn repeated, herself now standing and facing Dante. "Look, he's not as bad as you think."

"How can you say that?" Dante gasped. "You, of all people. I saw how he threatened you in there earlier."

"Harkness cares," Caitlyn told him. "He cares for his team. I don't like the bloke, but you can see how he looks after his friends. Look, Dante, talk to him. For me?"

"Alright," Dante agreed hesitantly. "Has he given you one of those pills? You hated him earlier."

"I still do," Caitlyn replied. "But I'm not going to let that get in the way of you working here. You'd like it, I know you would. Don't throw your future away over one little dispute."

"I'd hardly call wiping my sister's memory a little dispute!" Dante snapped. He pressed his forehead against the cold glass and exhaled deeply. A cloud of mist appeared, and Dante raised a finger. Drawing a smiley face on the glass, he laughed.

"What's so funny?" Caitlyn asked, confused.

"I used to do this as a kid," Dante explained. "Mum said one day I'd end up in trouble because of doing it. Now I'm doing it because I'm in trouble." He looked along the vast corridor to where he heard faint footsteps. Rhys' stocky figure stood at the end.

"Gwen sent me to find you," Rhys told the young Welshman as he walked closer. "She seemed to think you'd be down here, for some reason."

"Is she alright?" Caitlyn asked, concerned. "Rhys, isn't it?"

"Like you care," Rhys snapped. "You're not fit to use my name, not after what you did to my wife."

"Look, I'm sorry," Caitlyn sank to the floor in despair. "What can I do to show you I'm sorry? It was a moment of madness, honest it was. I'm not like that normally, you have to believe me. I was desperate; I thought Dante was in danger. I know now it was stupid, but don't we all make mistakes?"

"Not all of us threaten to kill an innocent woman," Rhys reminded her. "Torchwood annoys me at times, but I don't go around Cardiff with a scalpel in my hand." He turned to Dante, who was watching the conversation in awe. "You're wanted in the boardroom," Rhys told the young Welshman, turning away from the pleading Caitlyn.

"I'm sorry!" she shouted as the two men walked away.

TWTWTW

"So," Gwen pulled out a chair and sat down next to Jack, "are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"Gwen, it's really none of your business," Jack replied. "Just leave me alone, I'll be fine."

"But you're not fine," Gwen told him. "I've noticed it, Ianto's noticed it. There's something different about you, Jack, and I don't know what."

"I miss them, ok?" Jack admitted. He buried his head in his hands and sighed. "I hate having to replace people, and this time, it's a hell of a lot harder."

"Because of the way they died?" Gwen guessed.

Jack nodded. "If I hadn't let go of his hand-"

"Look, none of this is your fault," Gwen grabbed Jack's hand and gripped it tightly. "I know you blame yourself, but you don't need to."

"You know nothing about me!" Jack wrenched his hand away from Gwen's and banged his fist on the table. "Gwen Cooper, she always thinks she knows best. She thinks nobody else is capable of being hurt and upset."

"That's not true!" Gwen retorted angrily, standing up and leaning on the table. "Jack, we need to face facts. Toshiko and Owen are dead, we have to move on. We're Torchwood; we have to. I miss them so much; they were like family to me. But we have to move on, Jack. You said it yourself, everything changes, and we've got to be ready. How can we be ready when we're sitting round the Hub, moping?"

"What would you say if I appointed Caitlyn as our doctor?" Jack asked quietly.

"No," Gwen replied, sitting back down. "No way. Jack, tell me you haven't-"

"We need to get someone," Jack sighed. "We've got Dante, assuming he doesn't throw a tantrum and leave. We need a doctor, though. I know you won't like it, but-"

"Too right I won't!" Gwen snapped. "In case you forgot, she tried to kill me. No way am I working with that woman. If she joins, I quit."

"We have to do something," Jack told her. "We can't go on like this. She's got all the medical knowledge, and we can train her up so she can go out in the field at the same time as Dante. It makes sense, Gwen."

"She nearly killed me," Gwen insisted. "What if she succeeds next time? We can't be sure she won't go psycho again. What if she kills Ianto? What are you going to do then, Jack?"

"I don't know," Jack admitted. He sipped from his glass of water that was still on the table. "Half full or half empty?" he asked.

Gwen stared at him. "What? It's the same thing."

"Half full or half empty?" Jack repeated.

Gwen suddenly realised what he was implying. "Half full, I suppose," she replied with a casual shrug. "But I don't care about the whole 'let's be optimistic' attitude, because I refuse to work with that woman."

"You can't even say her name, can you?" Jack asked.

Gwen shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. "Jack, I'm scared."

Jack took a few steps across the boardroom, so he and Gwen were next to each other. Gwen stood up and fell into the captain's arms. He rocked her quietly as she sobbed into his shirt.

"It'll be alright," Jack whispered soothingly.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Dante ran a hand through his curly mop of hair as he stood outside the boardroom. Rhys pushed against the door to let the young man enter, but the new recruit didn't move.

"Jack won't eat you, you know." Rhys told him with a laugh.

"It's not Jack I'm worried about," Dante admitted. "What do I say to Gwen? I can't say I hate Caitlyn; she's been quite a good friend to me. Yet if I tell that to Gwen, she'll hate me for not taking her side."

"Don't say anything about it," Rhys advised. "You're not the one who'll have to calm her down if she goes hysterical."

Dante didn't know how to reply. He eventually walked into the boardroom, followed by Rhys. The sight which greeted the pair startled the older man: Gwen, evidently upset and clinging tightly to Jack, who also appeared to have been crying.

"Gwen, love, what's wrong?" Rhys hurried over to his wife, leaving Dante standing in the doorway.

"I can't do this," Gwen cried, not looking up from Jack's shoulder. "I don't know what to do any more."

"I'm not letting you leave," Rhys told her, a tone of authority in his voice. "You love this place; don't let today get in the way of that."

"Go home, Gwen," Jack said, letting go of the tearful woman's grip. "Take a few days off. Scratch that; take the rest of the week off. Rhys, make sure you look after her. I want her back in one piece, ok?"

"Come on, Gwen." Rhys put an arm around her waist and began to escort her out of the Hub. As they walked, the computer Dante had been working on began to bleep. "Should it be doing that?" Rhys asked.

"I don't think so," Gwen wiped away her tears with her cuff and made her way over towards the screen. She scanned over the data that was flashing up, struggling to make sense of it all. Rhys stood behind her, watching over her shoulder as she worked. She tapped away furiously at the keyboard, channelling all her frustration out of her fingers and into the machine. Her dark hair hung loosely over her face as she leant forward, and Gwen brushed it aside with one hand.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Rhys couldn't help but ask.

Gwen glared at him. "Tosh did teach me a few things, you know. I'm not a complete computer moron." Then her tone softened. "Sorry, Rhys. I just hate people checking up on me while I work. It makes me feel like I'm at school." The bleeping of the computer stopped, and Gwen allowed herself a brief grin. The explosion that followed, however, wiped it from her face.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Rhys asked. "Don't tell me they're bombing Cardiff again."

"That wasn't a bomb," Jack told him from across the Hub. The captain was standing, arms folded, by the door of the boardroom. "Gwen, check the Rift readings. Dante, go and look at the CCTV footage. Rhys, I'm going to need you to stay and help out for a bit. Can you do that?"

"I've done it before," Rhys replied, sounding more annoyed than he felt. Secretly, he was pleased that Jack had asked him to help. It meant that the American finally recognised him as being a person with skills, rather than just 'Gwen's other half'. After the recent events, though, Torchwood needed every person they could get to help with a potential disaster situation.

Gwen swore as something appeared on the screen. She tapped at her earpiece. "Ianto, are you there? Ianto, speak to me." She got no response.

Ianto could only watch as the roof of the car park crumbled down, crushing the cars below. A bright beam of light blinded the Welshman, and he shielded his eyes from the unexpected sight. Gwen's voice entered his ear, and stunned him into action.

"Gwen, the top of the car park's just caved in."

"What?" Gwen asked in disbelief. Ianto repeated his sentence, but Gwen didn't reply. Instead, after a short pause, it was Jack who spoke to Ianto next.

"Where are you?"

"Just outside the car park. I was about to drive in, but it collapsed."

"Are those girls with you?"

"No, I dropped them home," Ianto was suddenly relieved. He didn't want to have to explain the possibility of alien activity to three teenagers who would no doubt be retconned, along with a handful of other people, once Torchwood launched into the clean-up.

"Good. Yan, I want you to get there as soon as you can, see if there's any sign of alien activity. We'll be on our way as soon as we can, alright?"

"Sir," Ianto responded. He knew it would annoy Jack, but he was desperate for some light relief, even if nobody else but him understood the funny side. Ianto turned off his Bluetooth before he heard his boss' response.

As Ianto made his way into the car park, picking his way through fleeing crowds of bemused drivers, irate elderly people and screaming children, he couldn't get the bright light out of his head. There was something unearthly about it; something only the Rift could cause. But the Rift didn't reach to the popular multi-storey car park- did it?

The wail of sirens alerted Ianto to the oncoming presence of the emergency services. He knew he only had a short amount of time left to investigate uninterrupted, so he sped up his walk to a gentle jog. Ignoring the confused and concerned looks of the public heading in the opposite direction, Ianto struggled to get to the top floor of the car park. The staircases were blocked with people, and the car exits were filled with members of the public trying to escape. None of the cars would move; their tyres were all as flat as pancakes. Now wasn't the time to work out why; Ianto was more keen on finding the perpetrator.

Eventually, the Torchwood member reached the level which had been crushed by the roof. It seemed that the cement building was unlikely to fall through any more, but all the same, Ianto had to take precautions. Through the rubble, he heard screams of pain and anxiety from trapped people who the young man wanted desperately to help. The emergency services were on their way, he reassured himself. His main job was to make sure no more explosions were imminent.

As he picked his way through the rubble, Ianto noticed a circular scorch mark on one of the pieces of cement. Something had burnt its way through, somehow. Crouching down to inspect closer, the next thing Ianto saw was a flash of bright light. He fell backwards, blinded, against the hard cement. Light transferred quickly into darkness, and Ianto heard no sound. He lay there, motionless, among the rubble.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Jack led the team towards the collapsed car park, his long coat billowing in the fresh breeze. Gwen followed, holding Toshiko's portable rift monitor in her hand. Rhys and Dante ran behind the two Torchwood members, trying to keep up with what Jack was telling them. Police cars, ambulances and even a fire engine were already entering the car park, Jack approached a young policewoman who was blocking the entrance to the multi-storey with tape.

"Torchwood," he told her, ducking under the tape.

"Can I see identity, please?" she asked, trying to grab his arm to pull him back. "Excuse me, you can't just go into there like that. It's a crime scene."

"Tough," Jack told her. "Let us through, or I'll be reporting you to your boss." This seemed to convince the young woman. She lifted up the tape to let the Gwen and the two other men underneath.

"I know you," she gasped when Dante followed Gwen through the car park. "You're Inspector Devyn's son, aren't you?"

"Stop talking, keep walking," Jack muttered to Dante before the teenager could open his mouth to respond.

"The signal's getting stronger," Gwen announced, looking up from the display screen. "Where's Ianto, anyway?"

"Somewhere around," Jack replied. "He turned off his Bluetooth though. I'll have to discipline him for that later." His laugh told Gwen that he had much more in mind, and she scowled at him.

"I know you're the king of innuendo, but can we at least go one day without hearing about what you want to do to Ianto, please. It's not the sort of thing that would be encouraging the new boy to stay."

Jack realised Gwen was right, and resisted the urge to make a remark about how he'd love to hear about how she and Rhys spent their free time. He concentrated on tracking down Ianto, knowing the young Welshman would have found the cause of the explosion by now. Jack had a lot of confidence in Ianto, despite his initial reservations that the former Torchwood One employee would be unable to cope in the field. In fact, being an active Torchwood agent had boosted the young man's confidence, and Jack couldn't remember why he hadn't allowed him out from the start. Ianto was a valuable asset to the team, even more so now Toshiko and Owen were dead.

Jack made his way to the top level of the car park. Surveying the rubble, he called Ianto's name. Gwen had received the strongest energy signal coming from the upper levels, so that was where Jack had decided to begin looking for whichever alien creature had caused the destruction. In the corner of the car park, Jack spotted the sleeve of a familiar dark suit poking out from a pile of collapsed cement. He ran over towards it, hoping it wasn't who he thought. Ianto's face stared up at him from the ground, expressionless. Jack crouched down and felt for a pulse. There was one, albeit faint.

"Gwen!" Jack shouted, cradling Ianto in his arms. "Come on Ianto, stay with me," he muttered. There was no way he was going to lose another member of his team, especially not like this. Especially not Ianto. He pressed his lips against those of the younger man's, attempting to breathe life into him. It had worked before. Would it work again?

"What's happened?" Gwen asked, standing behind Jack and staring, in shock, at the fallen Ianto. "Is he-"

"Dead?" Jack asked. "No. Gwen, I want you to go back to the Hub and let Caitlyn out of her cell. I'll bring Ianto along; Rhys and Dante can help. She's a doctor, and Ianto needs treatment."

Gwen froze. "I don't think I can face her," she told Jack. "I'll be down there on my own. What if she pulls a scalpel on me?"

"Do you want Ianto to die?" Jack asked, standing up with his lover in his arms. Gwen shook her head. "Then go!"

Gwen ran back through the car park, sweat pouring down her face. It wasn't a particularly hot day, but fear was making her sweat. She couldn't really understand it: she'd been shot, she'd nearly died on more than one occasion, but Caitlyn was really affecting her. Maybe losing Toshiko and Owen had made her realise life was too short. Maybe it was marrying Rhys. Whatever the reason, Gwen knew she had to put her fears aside to save Ianto. Caitlyn was possibly the only person who could save him. It was too risky taking him to the hospital; the police were bound to ask questions and it would involve an awful lot of retconning later on.

TWTWTW

The quickest way into the Hub was using the elevator disguised by a perception filter outside the Roald Dahl Plass. Gwen stood on the paving slab which served as the lift and descended into the large Torchwood base. Gwen was feeling alone in the Hub, her only companion being the woman who threatened to kill her earlier in the day. As she pushed open the door to the vaults where Caitlyn was kept, she spoke to Jack over the communication system.

"How's he doing?"

"Not good," Jack replied. There was a sense of unusual desperation in his voice. "I'm on my way. Have you got her yet?"

"I've just got to the Hub," Gwen told him. She made her way over to the cell where Caitlyn was, then unlocked the door. "Come on, you're needed."

"Me?" Caitlyn asked. "Oh, this is some trick, right? You're going to let me out then run some tests on me, or kill me, or something like that."

"No, I'm not, although I'd very much like to," Gwen pulled the keys out of the lock and put them in her pocket. "Ianto's hurt. You're a doctor; you've got to save him."

"How can I, without any medical equipment?" Caitlyn was doubtful Gwen was telling the truth.

"We've got all you'll need in the Hub," Gwen led her towards the medical area, where a bed was standing empty. It had been the location for countless autopsies during Gwen's time at Torchwood, but she was determined not to have to carry one out on her friend and colleague. With Caitlyn's help, she began to prepare the area for Ianto's arrival.

Jack's voice entered her ear once more. "We're here. Are you ready?"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Jack carried Ianto through the Hub and laid him down on the medical table. The young Welshman groaned in agony. He'd regained consciousness in Jack's arms, but he was still very weak and unable to walk.

"Keep still, Yan," Jack told him, stroking his lover's soft hair and breathing in his scent. There was something different about the way Ianto smelt; as if something had been spilt over him. Maybe it had; Jack had no idea what Ianto had gone through up in the car park.

"What's happened to him?" Caitlyn asked. She knew now Gwen had been serious when she'd asked for help; there was no way Ianto was going to survive without medical attention.

"You're the doctor, you tell us," Jack responded, his voice angrier than he'd intended. "Gwen, Rhys, Dante, I want you all to go back to the car park and check on what's going on up there. Gwen, you're in charge of these two. I'll be on the comms, but I'm staying with Ianto."

"Jack-" Gwen began. She felt Rhys' grip tighten around her waist. He'd held her close ever since he'd returned to the Hub, and Gwen knew it was his protective instinct kicking in.

"Go," Jack instructed, and Gwen realised there was no point arguing. It was difficult trying to reason with Jack at the best of times, and whilst Ianto was wounded, there was no chance at all of making Torchwood Three's boss see sense.

"Come on," she said eventually, prising Rhys' hands off her stomach. She led her husband and Dante out of the Hub, equipment in hand, but couldn't resist one last glance at the fallen Ianto. He looked so pale, so vulnerable. If he died, Gwen didn't want it to be for no reason. Following the signal on the rift monitor, she returned quickly to the car park, ignoring the rugby-orientated chatter of the two men behind her.

TWTWTW

Ianto lay on the table in excruciating pain. His head throbbed, his throat hurt when he tried to speak and he struggled to move his limbs. He couldn't work out why, although the latter seemed to have a reason for it: Jack was pinning Ianto's legs to the table.

"For once, can you get off me, Jack?" he croaked. It took him a lot of energy to say those few words, but it worked. Jack straightened up and smoothed the creases in Ianto's trousers out, relieved the younger man still had his sense of humour.

"You were fitting earlier," Jack explained. "I had to hold you down so you didn't hurt anyone or fall off."

"I was?" Ianto struggled to sit up, but Jack shook his head and helped him to lie down again. The older man moved around the bed and crouched down so his face was next to Ianto's.

"I thought I'd lost you," Jack admitted quietly. "Caitlyn saved your life. She put a drip into your arm and stitched up the cut on your head."

"Caitlyn?" Ianto repeated.

Jack nodded, and held a finger to his boyfriend's lips. "Don't talk, Yan. You've got to rest now." He stood up and began to back away.

Ianto reached out an arm to try and pull Jack towards him. He only had enough energy left for one word. "Stay."

"Alright," Jack agreed, fetching a chair from one of the computer stations. He positioned it next to Ianto's head and stroked the young man's hair. "You scared me then, Yan," he admitted. "I thought I was going to lose you as well."

Ianto shook his head. "Never," he murmured.

Jack shook his head. "I will one day," he sighed. "I'll lose all of you one day. But I'll keep hold of you for as long as I can."

Ianto closed his eyes, soothed by the rhythmic movements of Jack's hand. Despite the agony he was in, he was determined not to let it show. It had all been like a bad dream; he'd found the aliens but hadn't been able to do anything about them before the object had exploded. He wasn't even sure what it was; the bright light had blinded him so he was unable to recall seeing a specific object. Yet there had definitely been something there. Ianto resigned himself to sleep, determined to remember what had happened in more detail when he woke up.

Jack watched his lover sleep. He looked so peaceful now, so relaxed. Jack kissed Ianto on the forehead and murmured something into his ear, before standing up and walking over to Caitlyn, who had been standing against the wall since Ianto had woken up.

"He'll be alright," Jack told her, folding his arms. "I ought to send you back to the vaults, but I guess you've earned your freedom saving Ianto's life. Just don't even think about taking a scalpel out of the hospital again."

"Thanks," Caitlyn smiled, and the gratitude was obvious. "Um, I know this sounds silly, but where are the toilets in here?"

"Over there," Jack pointed. Caitlyn nodded, and left Jack wondering what exactly he should do with the doctor. It was true Torchwood needed a doctor; that much had been proved today. If Jack was to employ Caitlyn, however, would Gwen ever forgive him? There was clear hostility between the two women, and not without good reason on Gwen's part. Jack cared a lot for Gwen's opinion, but he also loved Ianto, He dreaded to think what would have happened if there had been no doctor around to treat him. Jack returned to Ianto and gazed down at the sleeping man. Deciding Ianto was unlikely to wake up in the next few minutes, Jack set about finding Caitlyn.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The police officers were reluctant to let Gwen back into the car park; for some reason, they failed to believe Dante and Rhys were a part of Torchwood. Alright, neither of them had Jack's charisma, or Owen's sarcasm, or Ianto's wit, but that wasn't necessary to be a Torchwood agent. Was it?

After eventually convincing the police to let them through, using the threat of getting Jack to call up the police station and demand the officers in question were sacked, Gwen was in a rush to get to the top floor. The delay meant that whatever caused the explosion that had injured Ianto had more time to potentially get away, and this was bad for Torchwood.

"Come on, boys," Gwen frowned as she emerged on the level where Ianto had been injured. Rhys and Dante appeared a few seconds behind her, puffing hard. "Rhys, I'm booking you in at the gym as soon as we get home. Dante, you're going to get emergency fitness training once I've had a word with Jack. No protests," she added, as both men opened their mouths to complain. "Right, careful, I don't want you hurt too."

"Yes, boss," Dante saluted her. Gwen rolled her eyes, unimpressed.

"This is Torchwood, not the army," she told him. She picked her way to the area where Ianto had been injured and crouched down, monitor in hand. There was a small white box on the ground, mostly buried among the rubble but the corner still showing. Gwen smiled. "Now then, what have we got here?"

Moving the rubble aside carefully, Gwen got closer to the object. At further inspection, it wasn't actually white, but see-through; filled with a white coloured combination of gas and liquid. It was obviously alien, but totally unlike anything she'd ever seen before. She couldn't see an opening, but it seemed that this was, quite possibly, similar to what had caused the other two explosions. Half of her wanted to pick it up and run with it back to the Hub, but the other half told her to leave it in case it blew up and hurt, or even killed, her. Gwen called Jack on her earpiece, desperate for his advice.

"I think I've found the source of the explosions," she explained, "and if I'm right, there's another one that could go off any moment."

"Get out of there," Jack told her. "Get everyone out of there. If you think you can move the device without it exploding, then bring it to the Hub so I can take a look. Don't risk it, though. Are there any more in there?"

"I don't know." Gwen took a glance around, ushering Rhys and Dante towards the staircase. "Let's go," she told them.

"So we're just running again?" Dante asked, standing still. "You lot, you're always running everywhere and getting nothing done. How long did it take to persuade the cops to let us through the barriers? Now you want to leave straight away, on the command of an American who ought to be arrested by the fashion police. Barmy, that's what you are."

"Don't call my wife barmy," Rhys frowned, blocking Dante's path and squaring up to him.

"I didn't mean you specifically," Dante tried to backtrack. "I mean this whole concept of running, but not getting anywhere. That's what's barmy. Look, I don't care what Jack said; he's probably going to punish me anyway for bringing my sister and her mates into your base thing. But I think we should take that object you found with us. What's the worst it'll do?"

"Blow up and kill us all?" Rhys supplied. "Ianto was knocked unconscious, and I'm not willing to let that happen to Gwen."

"Take it," Gwen decided eventually, much to Rhys' horror. "Take the bloody thing and get out of here."

Dante ran over to the object and picked it up. Gwen shielded herself from what she thought would be the impending blast, but no explosion occurred. Dante was standing, cradling the object close to him proudly.

"Now let's get the hell out of here," he smiled.

TWTWTW

Caitlyn sat on the toilet lid, thinking. She hadn't actually needed to use it; it was just an excuse to get away from the unpredictability of Jack and the angriness of Gwen. Somehow, she had come to the conclusion that Torchwood wasn't as bad as she had been led to believe. Alright, the rumours about their flirtatious leader had been proved correct, but everything else didn't seem to exist; not to the extent she had thought. The deaths – well, she'd seen for herself that nobody had died at Torchwood that day, and that was with having a gun pointed at her, Ianto being knocked unconscious and Gwen being held hostage with a scalpel. Caitlyn felt embarrassed by that; it was a moment of madness that had nearly cost her everything: her freedom, her friends; her whole life. She knew deep inside that she wasn't a killer; of course she wasn't; she was a doctor who would do anything to save her patients. When Gwen returned, she would give her the biggest apology possible, which was not even close to what she deserved.

Caitlyn flushed the toilet and went to wash her hands. Turning on the cold tap, she splashed the cool water onto her face. The refreshing feeling brought her into the real world; here she was, in the middle of the base of an organisation so secret not even the police knew much about them. Yet, by some bizarre twist of fate, she'd ended up being taken captive by them, and now, they were going to let her go. Just like that. How could they, though? There had to be some way they would monitor her, to make sure she didn't speak about them. Maybe they'd come after her in a few days time, kidnap her and dump her body in Cardiff Bay. Maybe they'd give her an operation so she would be reduced to a gibbering vegetable for the rest of her life. Caitlyn shuddered, and looked at her face in the mirror. Her hair was a wreck, her mascara had run and her headache had returned. Typical, she thought.

Walking back down the corridor, Caitlyn fumbled in her pockets for something to relieve the throbbing pain pounding her head. She just wanted to get out into the open, inhale some fresh air and enjoy her freedom. What she didn't want was for the eccentric Jack to walk down the corridor and start up some crazy conversation with her. Unfortunately, that was what happened.

"I want a word with you," he smiled, taking Caitlyn by the arm. "Come with me."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Gwen opened the door to the Hub, calling Jack's name as she walked into the building. The room was eerily quiet, with only their resident pterodactyl's cry breaking the silence. Another noise was coming from over by the medical area; a strange cross between a murmur and a cry. Gwen ran over towards the source of the sound.

Ianto was lying flat on the medical bed, struggling for words. A large gash across his forehead had been stitched up, and there were numerous other cuts and bruises on his face and neck. His tie and jacket had been removed and were carefully placed, impeccably folded, in a chair. A drip was attached to his left arm, and his unbuttoned shirt showed off several chest bandages. Gwen was shocked by the extent of his injuries, but kept herself composed.

"It's ok, Ianto," she told him, taking his hand and leaning forward so he was able to see her face. "You're in the Hub now."

"G-g-" Ianto stammered.

Gwen stroked his pale face with her other hand. "Don't try to speak," she told him. "You need to get your energy back up."

"Gwen," Ianto finally said.

"Yes, that's me," Gwen smiled in the knowledge that her young colleague still had his senses, and more importantly, his mind. It was all too common for people who had hit their heads to suffer from recognition problems, but this seemed to have bypassed Ianto.

"Jack," Ianto added, in broken speech. "He said...here...wake up. Where's Jack?"

"I don't know," Gwen admitted. "But I'll stay with you until he comes. Who fixed you up?" She positioned herself on a nearby chair, Ianto's hand gripping tightly to hers.

"Doctor," he eventually managed.

"Caitlyn?" Gwen didn't intend to say it out loud. Ianto nodded.

Jack's unmistakeable voice cut across the Hub. "Caitlyn saved Ianto's life. If we hadn't had a doctor here, he would have probably died."

"Jack!" Ianto cried out, letting go of Gwen's hand and trying to sit up.

Jack rushed down to where Ianto was laying, ignoring the presence of Rhys and Dante, who was holding an unfamiliar object. He kissed his lover on the forehead and took his hand before sitting down in the chair Gwen had just vacated.

"I'm here," he smiled, caressing Ianto's face with his other hand. "You're going to get better, Yan, and I'll be looking after you every step of the way. I promise."

Gwen made her way up the short set of stairs to where Caitlyn was standing. The doctor no longer had an anxious expression on her face; instead there was an air of confidence about her.

"Thanks," Gwen told her as she walked past, avoiding eye contact with the woman who had earlier wanted to kill her.

"For what?" Caitlyn stammered. She hadn't expected gratitude form Gwen; indeed, she had been expecting a piercing glare, or verbal abuse.

"Ianto said you saved his life," Gwen told her. "You probably don't know how important that is to us, but thank you."

"I was just doing my job," Caitlyn replied.

"You'd better get back to the hospital," Dante chipped in, joining the two women. "They'll be wondering where we are."

"First things first," Gwen looked at him, and the alien object nestled in his arms. She was able to meet his gaze with relative ease, yet still her body would not permit her to look at Caitlyn without feeling clammy and full of angst. "You've got an alien object in your hands, and we need to check what it does before anyone else gets hurt."

"Gwen, you're in charge of the investigation," Jack called from Ianto's bedside. "I'm going to stay here and look after Yan." He ran his thumb over the back of Ianto's hand softly, and the injured man managed a weak smile.

"Right," Gwen addressed the rest of the people in the Hub. "Follow me. Rhys, this includes you. I'm going to need all the help I can get."

TWTWTW

Dante settled the object on the empty area of desk that Gwen had cleared with a sweep of her arm. Rhys fiddled with the safety goggles he had been given, wiping a patch of sweat off the brim of his nose. He peered closer to the object, still unable to believe that his wife constantly dealt with similar things for her job. It was mind-numbing even helping out with a single case, let alone attempting to do it day after day.

"Pass us that pipe over there," Gwen gestured with her head as she examined the object. Caitlyn handed her the piece of equipment, and for a brief moment, her bright blue eyes met Gwen's. The two women looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Gwen took the pipe and turned back to the object, where she'd spotted a minute opening in the outer body. She squinted closer and inserted the pipe. It wasn't really her field, but she wasn't letting anyone else touch the alien technology before she knew how safe it was.

A squeaky noise was emitted from the object the instant Gwen inserted the pipe. Rhys and Caitlyn backed away, but Dante peered in closer. At further inspection, he noticed the object was deflating, or whatever the alien equivalent was. The contents of the object were leaving their container and entering the air.

Gwen ran a scan on the computer, which was hooked up to the pipe by a long wire. Shaking her head, she ran it again, her face full of disbelief.

"What's going on?" Dante asked.

"I'm trying to work out what was in the object," Gwen explained. "It ought to be something explosive, but all I'm getting coming down the pipe is pure air."

"Is there a glitch in the computer?" Dante asked.

Gwen shook her head. "I don't think so. Tosh made this so it was glitch-proof. No, the readings must be right. But how can air explode?"


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Jack stroked Ianto's face tenderly, wiping away the dry blood that had stuck to his cheek with a finger. Ianto opened his mouth to speak, but Jack silenced him with a soft kiss on the lips. Ianto didn't try to resist; for one, he didn't really have the strength to, and secondly- although he'd never openly admit it- he was enjoying all the attention and affection Jack was lavishing on him. Since the deaths of Toshiko and Owen, their relationship had become strained. Evenings of passion had been replaced by extra hours at work, trying to make up for the reduced team size. Ianto had struggled to replicate Toshiko's extraordinary technical capabilities, and Gwen had relied on her first aid training she'd done in the police force to get by in the medical department. Now Jack had found Caitlyn and Dante, Ianto hoped their relationship would return back to normal.

Or as normal as it could be, given the circumstances. After all, not every Welshman was sleeping with his immortal boss in between chasing Weevils and other things that had fallen through the Rift from another time or planet. But then again, Ianto was more than just your average coffee-maker anyway. He'd seen things most people would be terrified by; he'd been held hostage by cannibals; he knew how to shoot half a dozen types of gun with near-perfect accuracy. And he'd been knocked unconscious by an exploding alien artefact, which was how he'd come to be lying in the middle of Torchwood with his lover sitting right by his bedside.

"I'll never let you get hurt again," Jack whispered, his face leaning close to Ianto's. "We've drifted apart, these past few weeks, but we'll get through this. You and me, together. I promise."

"I know," Ianto smiled, before closing his eyes. Part of him was glad he'd got hurt; it proved he was part of the team, and wasn't afraid to face danger. He'd spent so long trying to be accepted by his friends and colleagues, and trying to blot out the hurt he felt when he was the only one left behind when they all went out in the field. Part of him wanted Jack to let him get hurt again, as it seemed to bring them closer together. But part of him wanted to be protected by Jack; the strong, brave American doing everything in his power to stop the one he loved from getting hurt.

It was this part of him that stopped him from arguing with Jack, although he knew he was prolonging the inevitable. Jack would want Ianto to stay in the Hub and do paperwork, or cleaning, or simply make coffee for when he returned with Gwen and the other members, whoever they were going to be. He suspected Dante, but would Caitlyn be allowed to stay after her life-saving efforts? Ianto hoped so; he had a new-found respect for the doctor. It would have been easy for her to refuse to help him after the way she'd been treated at Torchwood, but instead, she threw everything she could into keeping the young Torchwood employee alive.

Caitlyn's enthusiasm remained as she helped Gwen with the unidentified object. Caitlyn's medical knowledge meant she had a good concept of the workings of the human body, and the object seemed to have similar structure. Now the air was drained out, the object's outer shell collapsed inwards, revealing an intricate network of very thin tubes that could easily resemble veins. A central pulse was beating, keeping whatever was inside the object alive.

For there was something living in the object. It was tiny, just a little bigger than an ant and see-through. No matter how hard Gwen tried, however, she couldn't remove it from the object. She guessed this was what made the object which hurt Ianto explode. She couldn't keep calling it an object, not now there were two unidentified things.

"That outer bit, it's like its shell," Caitlyn observed quietly, and Gwen nodded.

"Maybe it's like a suicide alien bomber," Dante laughed. "That little thing inside it, it triggers something which causes the air to expand and burst out of its shell, sending the shell everywhere."

"That could be it!" Jack called out from Ianto's bedside. He kissed his lover on the forehead before standing up and heading over to the group gathered around the alien artefact. "Let me take a look at that."

"There's only air inside it," Gwen told him. "I don't see how it can expand and explode."

"The alien might affect it in some way," Jack explained, peering closer. An expression of recognition crept onto his face. "Why, hello there," Jack grinned at the creature.

"Do you know what it is?" Caitlyn asked.

Jack nodded. "It's a Luftari. They're common animals in the fifty-first century."

"That's from the future?" Dante gasped.

"They live a bit like hermit crabs, finding new shells every so often," Jack continued, ignoring Dante's comment. "The only way they can get out of their shell is by exploding it, so they take in as much compressed air as possible until it explodes, sending the Luftari out. Normally, they'd find another shell pretty soon, but this one has fallen through the rift and doesn't have a shell to go to. With all the air sucked out, the shell withered and the Luftari is dying."

"Is that what exploded and hurt Ianto?" Caitlyn asked.

Jack nodded. "There must have been a group of them fall through. They've taken the compressed air out of car tyres and used them to survive in their shells. But now the time's come to break out, and they've caused explosions."

"How do you know all this stuff"? Dante quizzed him. "How can they come from the future, and how do you know all about it?"

"They fell through the rift in space and time that I was on about earlier," Jack told him, still focused on the Luftari.

"Can you send him back?" Dante asked.

Jack shook his head sadly. "The Rift doesn't work like that. Once it's here, it's here to stay. That's what Torchwood is for; stopping the Rift objects destroying Earth."

Dante smiled. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I'd still like to have the job here, if it's still available."

Jack nodded. "Of course it is."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"So," Gwen smiled, "that brings us back up to four." She looked across to Caitlyn, holding her gaze momentarily before turning to Jack. "Look, Jack, I was out of order earlier. I never should have slapped you. I'm sorry."

"You slapped him?" Rhys mouthed at her, shocked.

"Gwen, I'd completely forgotten about that," Jack replied. It was difficult to tell whether he was lying or not, but Gwen didn't care.

"I know how much Ianto means to you," she continued, "and he wouldn't still be alive if it wasn't for Caitlyn. Look, I'm not totally happy about this but we do need a doctor on the team, and I suppose Caitlyn meets the qualification criteria."

"I did actually ask Caitlyn earlier about joining the team," Jack admitted.

"You did what?" Rhys shouted. "This is the woman who tried to kill my wife, and now you expect her to work alongside Gwen? Harkness, you're even more insane than I thought."

"Rhys, stay out of this," Gwen stepped in front of her husband and looked Jack in the eye. "You're the boss, Jack."

"And you're my second-in-command," Jack reminded her. "Look, if I had to choose between keeping you on my team and hiring Caitlyn, then you know what I'd do."

"You could offer Caitlyn a trial, and if it doesn't work, you can always drug her like you did with my sister," Dante contributed.

"You've got to watch your mouth," Jack warned him. "You need to be able to keep secrets if you're working here. But I like your idea, and I was considering it myself. If you're alright with that?" He addressed Gwen, who nodded.

"I'm sorry," Caitlyn looked at Gwen with tears in her eyes. "I was an idiot; I'll understand if you say you don't want me here."

"You can't leave me on my own with these three," Gwen smiled. "I'll go crazy without another girl to talk to."

Jack knew Gwen was lying, but he was impressed by her powers of persuasion.

"I won't ever try to attack you again, I promise," Caitlyn told them. "I'd like to work here, but I don't think your boyfriend's too happy, Gwen."

"He's my husband, and that's his problem. He doesn't work here; I do."

Rhys rolled his eyes. "She's made up her mind, and there's no changing it now," he told Jack. "As much as I disagree, Gwen's decided what she wants."

"Alright, Caitlyn, I'm offering you the same as Dante; a month's trial at the Torchwood Institute, Cardiff, starting as soon as the hospital sacks you." Jack said as he walked back to Ianto.

"Sacks us?" Caitlyn repeated.

"Don't you think they'll be angry you've skipped a day's work?" Jack asked. "Anyway, it saves us doctoring your files, and if Torchwood doesn't work out, we'll write you a reference for a new hospital or wherever you want to work so it's off your record."

"It will work out," Dante told him defiantly.

"Just make sure you watch your mouth," Gwen reminded him. "You'll do well here, I'm sure of it. So will you, Caitlyn," she told the shocked doctor.

"You might as well clear off home, Gwen," Jack told her. "I'll stay here with Ianto, and I'll see you tomorrow. Actually, you all should get home."

"Don't I get those days off any more?" Gwen joked. "Alright, I'll see you then." She walked across the Hub and hugged Jack before stroking Ianto's hair. "Get well soon, Yan," she smiled. "I can't stand Jack's coffee."

TWTWTW

Dante and Caitlyn walked up to the front of the hospital together. Before they were even past the door, they were ambushed by the chief executive officer, Jason Kennedy.

"You two, my office, now!" he barked.

Dante gulped, following the balding man's lead. "Look, I can explain," he began, before a piercing glare from Caitlyn silenced him.

"Remember what Jack said?" she mouthed. "Let me do the talking." She took a seat next to Dante, on the opposite side of the desk to Jason.

"Where were you two all day?" the CEO asked angrily.

"Dante was taken, and I went to rescue him," Caitlyn replied. That part was truth, at least. Now the lies would kick in. "It was people who wanted to get revenge for something his dad did. It's not safe for Dante at work anymore. They could return any time. They saw my face too, and they might come after me." Caitlyn made her bottom lip quiver to add to the impression she was terrified.

"Who were these people?" Jason asked.

"Two men and a woman, but we don't know who they are or where they're from," Dante told him. "I can't work here without putting everyone's lives at risk. They might be watching the hospital. If you give me, I dunno, a month off work so they think I've left, it should mean you're not in danger."

Jason stroked his beard. "You think the whole hospital's at risk?"

Caitlyn nodded. "All the time Dante and I are here. A month should trick them enough into thinking we've left."

"Very well," Jason sighed. "You'll be off work for a month starting tomorrow, on half pay. I don't expect to see you wasting that time, though. If you remember who these people are, you can always phone me, any time of the day. Don't forget to inform the police about these people, too."

"I will," Dante lied, standing up and shaking Jason's hand. "Thank you, Mr Kennedy. I appreciate this."

"You've probably saved a lot of innocent peoples' lives by doing this," Caitlyn told her boss as she shook his hand before following Dante out of the office.

"Stay safe," Jason called after them, before turning to the pile of paperwork on his desk.

Once they were back in the hospital car park, Dante high-fived Caitlyn. "Torchwood, here we come!" he grinned.

_**So that's the end. But don't worry, 'cos I'm working on a sequel, so there'll be more Dante and Caitlyn, as well as Jack, Gwen and Ianto. Yey. :) **_


End file.
